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A HISTORY OF
THE METROPOLITAN
MUSEUM OE ART

I

'4

A HISTORY OF THE
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM
OF ART

WITH

A CHAPTER ON

THE EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART
IN NEW YORK

WINIFRED E. HOWE

NEW YORK
M C M X I I I

,rr)s-9y

COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

/

FOREWORD

BY

ROBERT W. DE FOREST

The idea of writing this history originated with Mr.
Henry W. Kent, who since 1905 has been assistant
secretary of the museum. Under his direction and
with his collaboration the volume has been prepared by Miss
Winifred E. Howe. Its authors had no personal knowl-
edge of the museum prior to their official connection with
it. The book, therefore, has been compiled largely from
the minutes of meetings and other filed papers. The manu-
script has been submitted for criticism to Mr. Joseph H.
Choate, whose suggestions have all been adopted; 1 too
have had an opportunity for revision, of which 1 have spar-
ingly availed myself. Mr. Choate and 1, however, have
not sought to change its form, but have confined ourselves"
to a few corrections and amplifications. It is hoped that
the publication of these pages will elicit information of a more
personal character than that contained in the official docu-
ments — information relating particularly to the earlier
history of the museum — which can be included in a later
edition. Such information would be invaluable to the his-
torian of the future, who, writing of an earlier generation,
could without impropriety dwell upon matters forbidden to
the writer of contemporary history.

The attempt to collect and present in readable form all

V

64599

FOREWORD

the data of public interest concerning the New York Metro-
politan Museum has been made largely with the hope that
its history would encourage the establishment of such in-
stitutions in other cities. Many of our large cities now
offer to museums greater possibilities of success and use-
fulness than existed in New York when the Metropolitan
was founded forty-two years ago, and its development from
small beginnings, but under a broad and comprehensive plan,
should stimulate like undertakings elsewhere. A small art
museum on educational lines is a necessary adjunct to all
public libraries except where proximity to a large art center
admits of co-ordination between library and museum. It
is an encouraging sign that the number of these small mu-
seums is constantly increasing. If this history be suggestive
and stimulating to public-spirited citizens interested in found-
ing museums elsewhere, this book will have served a useful
purpose.

.My own official connection with the museum dates back
no further than 1883, but through my father-in-law, John
Taylor Johnston, 1 was from the start so closely associated
with it, both in interest and action, that my memory covers
in some degree the whole period of its existence.

Looking back over this period as 1 read the proof of this
book, whose pages recall so much that 1 once knew, and tell
me so much that 1 now know for the first time, a number of
thoughts press upon me for expression which are rather in
the nature of an “afterword” than a “foreword.” It is
plain that the idea of a museum in New York had its con-
ception far back in the beginning of the last century. Had
not the ground been prepared — enriched, it may be — by
the failure of earlier efforts, the growth of our museum would
not have been so rapid. It is plain, too, that the need in
response to which it was founded, was felt in other parts of
this country besides New York City, for the art museums

VI

FOREWORD

which to-day hold the foremost rank were all established at
about the same time.

It is fortunate that the movement to establish the museum
was from the start under the control of a large and repre-
sentative body of men, and that the raising of money took
the form of a general subscription. Too often, in the early
life of such an institution, has the great prominence and
generosity of a single person handicapped its future growth.
While the initiative came from the Art Committee of the
Union League Club, the officers of the meeting called on
November 23, 1869, to consider the founding of the museum
represented the intellectual and artistic leadership of New
York. Among them were William Cullen Bryant, Presi-
dent of the Century Association; Daniel Huntington, Presi-
dent of the National Academy of Design; Richard M.
Hunt, President of the New York Chapter of the Institute
of Architects; Dr. Barnard, President of Columbia College;
and Dr. Henry W. Bellows, foremost among New York’s
public-spirited clergymen. Present on behalf of the city
government, at this first meeting, were Andrew H. Green,
Comptroller of Central Park, and Henry G. Stebbins, Presi-
dent of the Central Park Commission — their attendance
foreshadowing, at the outset, the close relationship of the
Museum with the City which was later established and
which has been so potent a factor in its development. The
Committee of Fifty, into whose hands the project was com-
mitted by this meeting, was even more representative than
the earlier body, adding to the leaders in literature and art
the foremost business men of the period.

Fortunate, and remarkable, too, was the broad scope of
museum activities conceived by these early committees. It
would have been quite in the spirit of the time to make the
new institution simply a gallery of painting and sculpture.
Not so. While the memorable address of William Cullen

vii

64599

FOREWORD

Bryant at this first meeting* naturally emphasized, as became
the poet, the aesthetic enjoyment of the fine arts, the Com-
mittee set out to found a museum that should contain com-
plete collections of objects illustrative of the history of “all
the arts, whether industrial, educational, or recreative, which
can give value to such an institution.”

Thus we find that the present trustees, in laying emphasis
upon industrial art and education, more or less in the belief
that they are initiating new departures, are but returning
to the basic principles upon which the museum was founded.

And what was the sum of money these founders placed
before themselves as the goal of their ambition with which
to establish the new institution, started by so general a
movement and so all-embracing in its aims? It is pathetic
to recall that it was only ^250,000, a sum $100,000 less than
the present annual administrative expenses of the institution
which they founded a little more than forty years ago! And
it is still more pathetic to recall that after more than a year’s
effort they had raised less than half the desired sum — only
$io6,oool Such financially was the modest beginning of the
great Metropolitan Museum which now, besides its exten-
sive building and its priceless collections, has an endowment
for purchase funds of over $10,000,000! Does this not en-
courage like effort elsewhere?

But what the founders lacked in money they made up in
wisdom and zeal.

The idea of locating an art museum in Central Park orig-
inated with Andrew H. Green, the father of that great park,
and it must be a satisfaction to those who worked with him
and who cherish his memory to know that the Museum now
stands upon the spot he designated for such a purpose. But
the actual housing of the Museum there, in a building erected
and owned by the city, and the lease which defines the rela-

viii

Printed at page 106.

FOREWORD

tion between the museum and the city in its occupation of
the building, bear testimony to the wisdom of its founders
and the far-sighted policy of those public officials who at
the time of its organization represented our city. It is curi-
ous and interesting to recall that the public officials to adopt
this policy in 1871 were none other than William M. Tweed
and Peter B. Sweeny.

Included in the text is material which gives some notion
of the personal service rendered by those early Trustees —
notably the letters of Mr. Johnston to Mr. Blodgett, relating
to the first exhibition, and an account of the labors of William
C. Prime and William L. Andrews, who unpacked with their
own hands the collections when they were moved from the
Douglas Mansion to their new home in Central Park.

The history of the museum divides itself naturally into
three periods. The first, during which it had largely to
rely upon voluntary service, may be said to have ended in
1879 with the election as first salaried director of General
di Cesnola. The second period, increasingly marked by
the General’s dominating personality, came to a close at his
death in 1904. The third period began with the election
as President of Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. During these D<''^r
years the Museum, with larger resources, and we ho] /ith
no less wisdom than in the earlier days has been better able
to realize the broad aims of its founders. The earlier chap-
ters of this book treat of events sufficiently remote to be the
proper subject of history; they can be viewed in historic
perspective. But the last chapter, treating as it does of
recent events, can be deemed only a contribution toward
history still to be written.

The friends of the Museum who have made it what it is,
and there are many outside the ranks of its trustees and even
of its membership, as well as the descendants of those who
labored and have entered into their rest, will, 1 know, join

IX

FOREWORD

me in thanking Mr. Kent and Miss Howe for this book,
which will quicken memories of the past and afford inspira-
tion for the future.

X

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Preface ■ . . . vii

Table of Contents xi

List OF Illustrations xiii

Introduction: The Early Institutions of Art in
New York i

I The Period OF Organization (1869-1871) . 95

II The Museum in the Dodworth Building

(1871-1873) 141

III The Museum in the Douglas Mansion (1873-

1879) • • 07

IV First Years in Central Park (1880-1888) . 185

V The First Addition to the Building (1888-

1894) 227

VI Continued Extension (1895-1905) . . 261

VI 1 The Presidency of J. Pierpont Morgan

(1905-1912) 285

Officers of the Museum 321

Index 327

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Broadside Frontispiece

Issued by the Tammany Society, June i, 1791

The Royal Exchange 5

From an unpublished water-color drawing in the possession of
William Loring Andrews.

Robert R. Livingston 9

From the engraving by E. McKenzie, after the painting by John
Vanderlyn.

Agreement of Subscribers of the American Acad-
emy of Fine Arts 11-12

Robert Fulton 15

From the engraving by William S. Leney, after the painting by
Benjamin West.

Government House 17

From an engraving by Scoles. Published in the New York
Magazine.

John Trumbull 19

From the engraving by Asher B. Durand, after the painting by
the artist.

The New York Institution — Plan of Rooms . . 21

DeWitt Clinton 23

From the engraving by V. Balch, after the portrait by E. Ames.

David Hosack, M. D. 31

From the engraving by Asher B. Durand, after the portrait by
Thomas Sully.

Plan of the American Academy’s Building — Bar-
clay Street 33

xiii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Statement of tfie American Academy’s Resources
— January 8, 1831

John Pintard

From a pen-and-ink drawing by an unknown artist.

The New York Institution

From a lithograph.

39

Mt. Saint Vincent, Central Park . . . .

From a lithograph by George Hayward, published in Valentine’s
Manual, 1862.

Samuel Finley Breese Morse 47

From a painting by himself. The property of Mrs. Franz
Rummel.

William Cullen Bryant 51

From the engraving by G. Parker, after the portrait by Henry Inman.

The National Academy of Design .... 55

Twenty-third Street.

John W. Francis, M. D 59

From the engraving by Julius Gallmann.

Gallery of the Art Union 61

From an engraving after the drawing by Z. Wallin.

Luman Reed 63

After the painting by Asher B. Durand. Formerly in the New
York Gallery, now in the New York Historical Society.

Certificate of Membership of the New \'ork
Gallery 65

Peter Cooper 69

From a photograph.

The American Museum 75

From an engraving by Sidney L. Smith, after the drawing by
A. j. Davis.

City Hall Park 77

Showing Peale’s Museum (to the left) Scudder’s first .Museum
and the Academy of Arts (to the right). From an unpublished
water-color drawing by A. j. Davis, 1826, in the possession of
William Loring Andrews.

The Rotunda and the New York Institution . 8i

From a wood engraving by C. Burton.

The Dusseldorf Gallery 87

From a wood engraving in the Cosmopolitan Art Association
Bulletin, by N. Orr.

XIV

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

The Crystal Palace 89

From a colored lithograph.

The Metropolitan Sanitary Fair Buildings. . 91

From a wood engraving.

John Taylor Johnston 98

From the painting by Leon Joseph Florentin Bonnat.

John Jay 105

From the painting by Jared B. Flagg. The property of the
Union League Club.

The Dodworth Building, 681 Fifth Avenue . 147

Map of Central Park . . . . . 0pp. 153

The Douglas Mansion, Main Staircase. . . 160

From a drawing by Frank Waller.

The Douglas Mansion, 128 West Fourteenth
Street 163

The Douglas Mansion, View in the Galleries . 165

From the painting by Frank Waller.

Plan of Rooms in the Douglas Mansion . . 169

Proposed Plan for the Museum . . . .175

By Calvert Vaux and J. Wrey Mould.

Proposed Elevation and Floor Plans . . .177

By Calvert Vaux and J. Wrey Mould.

Transverse Section OF Proposed Museum Plan . 179

By Calvert Vaux and J. Wrey Mould.

The First Building in Central Park . . .181

From an illustration in The Daily Graphic.

General Louis Palma di Cesnola .... 188

From a photograph.

The First Building in Central Park (Details) . 191

From an illustration in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper.

Drawn by H. A. Ogden.

The First Building in Central Park (Interior

View) 193

From an illustration in Harper’s Weekly.

The First Building in Central Park — Floor
Plans 195

XV

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

Opening of the First Building in Central Park 197

From an illustration in The Daily Graphic.

Museum Art School, 31 Union Square . . . 205

From an illustration in The Daily Graphic.

Henry Gurdon Marquand 230

From the painting by John Singer Sargent.

The First Addition and Original Building in
Central Park 233

The First Addition to the Building in Central
Park 235

Trial Sketch for the Fafade.

The First Addition to the Building in Central
Park 235

Sketch for the Fafade as Adopted.

The First Addition and Original Building in Cen-
tral Park — Floor Plans 237

Frederick W. Rhinelander 264

From a photograph.

North Wing of the Museum 267

East Wing of the Museum as Planned. . . 275

East Wing of the Museum as Completed . . 275

Main Entrance Hall, East Wing of the Museum 277

j. Pierpont Morgan 288

From the portrait by Carlos Baca-Flor.

Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke 291

From a photograph.

Wing G — The Eibrary 303

Wing E — The Metropolitan Museum of Art . 309

Main Hall — The Wing of Decorative Arts . 31 1

Wing H — The Metropolitan Museum of Art . 315

Edward Robinson 317

From the painting by John Singer Sargent.

XVI

INTRODUCTION

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART
IN NEW YORK

1787-1864

y,

i

s

i

K-

it

K '

AMERICAN MUSEUM,

Undir. the pATROf.'ACL OP THE T.\MMANY SOCIETY. OR COLUMBIAN ORDER.

"t

The Tiranany Soci-ty h*s eSablifticd a Mufcnni for tU purpofeof coJIifling and n^'orainj every tl.ieg relating »
fcirtsry of America, likcMofe, e\-ery Ameiion proJudlioft of iiin;re or art; kr v*hi<b rrarpsl'e pi.-t cf the funJi cf
focieiy are aprropriaccU.

The fuccels of this indhuficm, howet-er, mutl, io a great meafurc, depend oa ih
poblic ; and lie prefent collediioD has chieQy arifea from this fcorce. .AJthoogb quiii
laini many article* in ihe hidoncal atxJ naturaJlines. highly deferring the notice ol the coiiour.

A* altnoft every individoii pofleflt* fome ankle which initfelf t* of little value, hot in a ccHcOite rkw. become* of real
importance— the pairor.s ofthi> infti'otion folicit the aiieniion ot ilieir fcVow-eitiien* w the Mcieum: tad teqeert their aid to.
trardiformingacclleclTon which prcmifes fair to become an objeftof public niiliiy. The arJeles asd name of thegenenwi
doDors, arc eatefully regiftered iaa-t»k kept for the puipoi, ike ctmteniiof which will be pufclilheJ a: foraefutere feaka.

Every thing, end from whatever Lme, will be acceptable; lor althoaga the fund* of the fociei)' are coc£sed co .ktoericu
produftionr, tbedoor* of ihe Mufertn are, reverihelcfj, open to roluDixiy coniributr>o> iVon every qoaner.

The coipotation of thu city, cut d.ifpofed to encourage patriotic unJcnilung*, and favourjjly trrmrdJed with the itrpcteance
m in the City-H«Jl, on a raoge wiih the Library, for the nfe of the hiuleom,
i Friday afternoons, for the graiihcatkn of public curiofify.

0 Mr. John PjuTAXo, No. jy, Kinj-Ilteet, will be ttumkluUv accepted, aoddue

r coiMtanon of thuci^, cut ,
of the pTclcnt, haj geoeioufly gract
which is at prefenc opened every T cfday a.

Any artiele feot ihercoD thofedays,
care taken cf ihen-

LAWS and REGULATIONS of the AMERICAN MUSEUM, belonging to the Tammany
Society or Columbia.v Order.

I. Of ihr f Off.ttri.

The Trunce* ot the American Mufeum, aa by law eledl.

ed, fhall, CD the firft Ikaied ineeiiog after their eleflioDi
anaually choofe from out of their number, aChairRUD, aTra-
forer, and a Secretary.

II. Of Ibt OmriBaa.

Tlie Chairman is lo pre£de at all mectiogfi to pteferve order,
(O' regelate the debate*, and to Aaie and puiqueftiDns, agree*
able to the fenfc aod inceorionof iheTruflees. lo the abfeoee
of (he Chairman, his place QuU be fupplied by one of (he Tnf.
tees, cbofen fn bac ‘vUt.

HI. Of tht Tnofurtr.

TheTreafurer fliall teceiie all monies that may become dae
(o-thc Mufeum, and Ihill pay the fame, by an order from the
Chiirman. which lhall be hu vegeber. The Treafurer lhall
keeparegular accoantof all monies received and pidby him,
as aforefaid; aod once every year, or ofiener if required by the
Trudees, he fhall render an acccum to then of the ftock in his
hands, and the difbarfemenrs made by their order, and (hall
deliver up to bis facrefTar, the bo^ and all pperi beloogiog
to them, tagether w iih the balance of caOi in his hands.

IV. Of I In Stertiarj.

The Scerenry lhall take the mioeres, and read all letten and
ppers that may be commuokated to the TruHees. He (hall '
enter into a bock, to be provided lor the perpfe, an tecoani
of all donations made to the Mufeum, together with the names
of the doners. He Oiall take charge of. and preferve. all books,
^mpMeri, and works prefeoied to Che Mufeom, orpurchafed

All cofiofitki, whether of natote or arr, prefented or pgr-
chafed, anti Gtall clafs aod arrange (sent in their proper order.

V. Of ibt mrrliimtf tit Tnfifit.

The ordinaTT cneeHngs of theTraflre* Ciall be on thefecond
and fourth FnJap of every moo th, from Oflober to May, both
IncluJsve, at Gx o'clock in the evening ; on the foonh Friday of
each of the other four reonihs, at feyea o'clock. So meting
fhall be continued after ten o’clock. Five Tmffcts flail con-
(liiute a quorum.

VI. Of tin ijinhttitn »f d/wy, onJ maii>!g ktw Law
No part pf the funds lhall be difpofed of but by a regular co*
doo, fecondeo and agreed to by a majority of the T re fleer pre-
rent. And ail orders for pyincnt (hall be (igned by the Cwr-
man. No netv law flwll be made, until the fame (haJI have been
prapofed at one meeiing, ecd agreed co by a majoricyof Truf*
tecs (forming a quortunj prefenta: afubiequectniectiDg.

VII. Of a lurfrr,

Tlie Trudees (hall elefi a Er.-per of ihe Mufetun, wbofe
doty (hall be to fumnson all meetings called by the Cfaiiraaa, '
to aticnc the fame, and pcrfaip fueh BceeiTary oSBcei aa may
be required. He (hall rcceire all prefeuu rrnA^ to the foeierr,
ud dcp'fit them in the Muienm. giving n account ihero.f to
tbe Secretary. He 1^1 odei: all cacsibas inu the Kafeua,
at foch limes as (hall^ appainted for that prpofe. and fhall
take care that no viCtv teinove or injore any of the aicelrs be-
longing co the Mofueift. For all which itivicea, be (hall be
cniuled to foch coppenfadgi u the Tniflccs Cull fee fi: u
grant.

VIII. Ofttt^t tt. tedaf tf rSr AL/ra».

The intentioD ol ihcTaamany S^kty or Coloobiaa Order,
in ellablifliing an Amaieaa Jda/feai. being for the fele purpof:
of eollefting and prcfervtng wnatm er nuy relate to the tiftory
of our country, and fcrve to perptraaic the fame, aa aifo all
.American curioGtlm of rirare or art — la owier to infwer this
end, it is evident that every article prefcated «n « pcrchafed
by the foeiety, ought to beearefally depoSted us the Mufeum,

. and never be allowed to be taken our of tbe fame, letfl itibculd
be miflaid, and perhaps irretrievably lofl Nevcnhdefl, ia or-
der to render this M-afeutn (sviccaLble, to the great icTcrelb ef
fociety, every member of tbe Tammany Society (ball have free
actefs thereto, through means of the Xeeper. wd fcall be per-
mitted to exioine all the natural cr artifieial cerbfit-es. and retd
all books, pamphlets aod pipers, and tale erm^ therefrom,
as far as may foil his purpoles, bet (hall n'X be allowed to take
away any thing whatever oet of the Mafeain, on any pretext
whaitever.

The Mufeum Hull alfb be acecCIble to ary etbm perfoo. not
a member of ihe fociety, but who (hall be iantjdueed by a
jani;ber, who (hall be alike indulged and alike fabjefi tg the

Came reguUtioru a* ihe metebenot ihe fxiety.

Tbe following are the Treten for the pnt-'rni >ci.*:

WILLIAM PITT SMITH, Cbairoan.

J.AMES Tk-LEE,

JOHN R. B. RODGERS,
j.ACOB MORTON.

EFFINGHAM EMBREE,

WILLI.AM W. GILBERT, T.-eafa-Tf.

JOHN PINTARD, Secretiry-

GARDNER BAKER. Kcepcr.No. i j.Maidcc-Lane,

w ho is aaihc.*aBd to fc&a: twaanciti.

Ktnc-Terl, Jtist \, IT?’-

t';

V

I'

i ■

BROADSIDE ISSUED BY THE
TAMMANY SOCIETY, JUNE I, 179I

INTRODUCTION

Any real understanding of the circumstances included
in the inception and growth of an institution such as
The Metropolitan Museum of Art must come from a
knowledge of a long list of events antedating its actual incor-
poration. To record the efforts of earlier generations toward
the establishment of permanent institutions of art in New
York City is also but simple justice, for undoubtedly upon
their failures as well as upon their successes have been builded
the achievements of our day.

The only museum on the island of Manhattan of which
there is any record before 1800 was conducted by the Tam-
many Society, “a fraternity of patriots,” established before
April 30, 1787,^ ‘‘solemnly consecrated to the independence,
the popular liberty, and the federal union of the Country.’’
According to a contemporary record,^ this society took as
its objects “the smile of charity, the chain of friendship,
and the flame of liberty.” In 1790, the followers of Saint
Tammany, largely through the initiative of John Pintard,
their first Sagamore, a public-spirited man who stood sponsor
for many a worthy undertaking of his day, established a

* The New York Daily Advertiser of this date contains a notice for the
“Members of Saint Tammany Society in the City of New York” to meet
at their wigwam, 49 Cortlandt Street, on May ist.

* New York Directory and Register, 1795, p. 312.

3

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
museum “for the purpose of collecting and preserving every-
thing relating to the history of America, likewise, every
American production of nature or art,”^ surely a fairly large
undertaking for a young society. Greater still is the range
of objects which the Trustees announced themselves willing
to receive as gifts, “ Everything, and from whatever clime,
will be acceptable.”^ The venerable Dr. John W. Francis
in his delightful Old New York''* gives a somewhat detailed
account of the Indian relics in this Tammany Museum,
mentioning wampum beads, tomahawks, belts, earthen jars,
and pots, with other antiquities; together with all that could
be found of Indian literature in war songs, hieroglyphic
writings on stone, bark, and skins, etc. On May 21, 1791,
the museum was thrown open to the public and its by-laws
and regulations published.^ Tuesday and Friday after-
noons were the hours set “for the gratification of public
curiosity.”

At this time our first museum was housed in a room al-
lotted to the Tammany Society in the old City Hall, on
Wall Street, where the sub-treasury now stands. Out-
growing these quarters, it found a new home in 1794 in a
brick building erected between 1 752 and 1 754 in the middle of
Broad Street between Water and Front Streets,^ and known
from its original use as the “ Exchange.” The lower part was
then used for a market. As the upper part had excellent
light on all sides,® it was a suitable place for a museum.

* Broadside issued June i, 1791.

Broadside issued June i, 1791.

^ J. W. Francis, Old New York, p. 124.

^ See N. Y. Daily Advertiser, May 21, 1791, and Broadside issued June i,
1791.

* Rufus Rockwell W ilson, New York Old and New, \'ol. 1, p. 124.

' The “long room’’ on the second floor was (at one time) occupied as
a military school and occasionally for dancing assemblies. (The building)
was torn down about the beginning of the present century. N'alentine’s
Manual, 1862.

4

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

Interest in art among the members of the Tammany
Society speedily waned; only one man, Gardiner Baker,
the generous and enthusiastic custodian of the museum,
kept his early zeal for the institution. A resolution passed
June 25, 1795, recognized his “extraordinary exertions,”
and transferred the museum to him, the society relinquish-
ing all its right thereto, provided that the members of the

r H • '=» •. < "L £ < HAM . £ .

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE

FROM AN UNPUBLISHED WATER-COLOR DRAWING IN THE
POSSESSION OF WILLIAM LORING ANDREWS

society with their families should always have free admit-
tance to the Museum, which should be kept “one and in-
divisible” in some convenient place within the city of New
York and always be known as the Tammany Museum.

Mr. Baker continued to add to its attractions, among his
accessions being a full-length portrait of General Wash-
ington by Stuart, one of four painted by him. 5oon after-
ward, however, this first museum curator, then but a young
man, died of yellow fever while in Boston exhibiting this

5

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
picture. In the scattering of his possessions all trace of the
Stuart seems to have been lost. After Mr. Baker’s death
the Museum was sold to W. J. Waldron, and passed through
several hands. In course of time part of the contents came
into the possession of John Scudder^ in his American Mu-
seum,^ which later became a part of Phineas T. Barnum’s
museum of wonders.

Beginning with the nineteenth century, there were six im-
portant institutions of art in New York — or more strictly,
Manhattan — established earlier than The Metropolitan
Museum of Art. Of these six organizations one half long
ago ceased to exist, but even so they played a part by no
means negligible in the history of art in the city. In general
they lacked support, either the support of their own member-
ship, or that of an art-loving community, or again that of
an enlightened legislature, alive to its opportunity of foster-
ing such educational institutions. A letter written in 1823
by the poet James G. Percival may stand as evidence of the
lack of an appreciative public. It reads, “Morse’s picture
of Congress HalP has cost him $i 10 to exhibit in New York.
Tell it not in Gath! He labored at it eighteen months and
spent many hundred dollars in its execution, and now he has
to pay the public for looking at it.”'* Even ten years later
Mr. Morse wrote to James Fenimore Cooper, “There is a
great deal to dishearten in the state of feeling, or rather state
of no feeling, on the arts in this city. The only way I can

* See page 75.

“ The name American Museum was also used by the Tammany Society,
for the Broadside of June 1, 1791, is headed .American .Museum, under the
Patronage of the Tammany Society or Columbian Order.

’ This same picture sold some years later for $1,000, and by that sale our
Representatives took up their residence in England. They later returned
to America, for the picture became the property of Daniel Huntington and
has now been purchased by the Corcoran Gallery of .Art in \\ ashington.

’ Henry T. Tuckerman, Book of the Artists, p. 168.

6

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

keep up my spirits is by resolutely resisting all disposition
to repine, and by fighting perseveringly against all the
obstacles that hinder the progress of art. 1 have been told
several times since my return that 1 was born loo years
too soon for the arts in our country.” To show how the
lawmakers at Albany felt, one fact may be cited. In the
year i8io a bill for endowing the New York Historical
Society and killing the wolves and panthers was rejected
in the State Legislature, and the Society was granted
“the glorious privilege of being independent.” As George
Brown Goode, who as Assistant Secretary of the Smith-
sonian Institution in charge of the U. S. National Museum,
made an exhaustive study of museum-history, pointed out,
“In the early days of the republic, the establishment of
such institutions by city, state, or federal government would
not have been considered a legitimate act.”^ Of the three
organizations still in existence, each one has come through
an early period of financial stress, varying in intensity with
the institution, but felt by all, and is now in a secure position
of recognized influence and helpfulness.

The six institutions referred to will be discussed in chron-
ological order.

I. THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF THE
FINE ARTS

1802-1841

To Chancellor Robert R. Livingston, ambassador to France
at that time, is due the honor of originating this first society
for the encouragement of the fine arts in the United States,
which was formed by subscription in 1802, the immediate

* A Memorial of George Brown Goode, together with a Selection of his
Papers, Washington, 1901, p. 6g.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

object being “to procure casts in plaister of the most beau-
tiful pieces of ancient Sculpture now collected in the National
Museum” (the Louvre), the selection being entrusted to the
ambassador^ Chancellor Livingston’s own love of beauty
was evident in the furnishings of his home at Clermont. He
brought from France Gobelin tapestries, with which he cov-
ered the walls of his drawing-room, engravings and paintings,
among them a portrait of Henry IV,^ and other objects both
rare and beautiful.

The original agreement of The American Academy of the
Fine Arts with the subscribers’ names, which may be seen at
the New York Historical Society, has been reproduced in
part here. A brother of Robert R. Livingston, Edward
Livingston, then mayor of the city, became its first president.
Aaron Burr actively cobperated in the organization. Another
familiar name found early in the Academy’s records is Robert
Fulton, a pupil of Benjamin West and a painter as well
as an inventor, who was a director, and whose widow and
children — Fulton died in 1815 — were, by a special by-law,
given free admission during their lives.

“The plan of the American Academy comprised a per-
manent as well as periodical exhibitions, lectures, schools, a
library, and other agencies in art education, copied from a
foreign model — that of the not long established Royal
Academy in England.”^ The scope of the plan and the con-
fidence with which many a foreign artist was honored with

>!n an address delivered by DeW'itt Clinton in 18 16 we find this statement,
“There are but two institutions of this kind in .America — one in .Mexico
of an earlier, and one in Philadelphia, of a more recent origin.” Three state
academies of science had already been established: The .American Philo-
sophical Society, Philadelphia, 1743; The American .Academy of .Arts and
Sciences, Boston, 1780; The Connecticut Academy of .Arts and Sciences,
1799.

^American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, Sixteenth Annual
Report, p. 327.

sjohn Durand, Life and Times of .A. B. Durand, p. 27.

8

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON
FROM THF; ENGRAVING BY E. MCKENZIE
AFTER THE PAINTING BY JOHN VANDERLYN

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

membership in a New World academy, must make us respect,
if we do not share the optimism of the Directors, a small
body of men in the midst of a community then little recog-
nizing or appreciating art. Indeed, the entire scheme seems
inflated and grandiose, with much machinery but little real
mastery of the situation.

The name first suggested for the new organization was the
New York Academy of the Fine Arts; but when on February
12, 1808, the charter was obtained, the word American was
substituted for New York and Fine was omitted. In this
charter^ the following officers were named: Robert R. Liv-
ingston, President; John Trumbull, Vice President; DeWitt
Clinton, David Hosack, John R. Murray, William Cutting,
and Charles Wilkes, Directors. The same document limits
the annual income to ^5,000, and the stock of the corporation
to one thousand shares of $25 each. When this charter
was amended on March 28, 1817, the name was changed
to the one we have used. The American Academy of the
Fine Arts.

What of the personnel of this Academy? To say that it
numbered among its members some of the most prominent
men of New York, eminently respectable gentlemen, can
hardly be deemed exaggeration when we recall that DeW'itt
Clinton, mayor of the city almost continuously from 1803 to
1815, attained one public office after another until 1825 when
he was the honored governor who took part in the triumphal
celebration of the opening of the Erie Canal; Dr. David
Hosack was a practitioner, teacher, and writer on medical
and scientific subjects, the professor of botany at Columbia
College as early as 1795, the founder of the first public bo-
tanic garden in 1801, and of the hospital which afterwards
became known as Bellevue; Cadwallader D. Golden, another

'The Charter and By-Laws of the American Academy of the Fine Arts,
New York, 1817.

10

AGREEMENT OF SUBSCRIBERS

THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

agreement of subscribers

THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

active worker for the Academy, stood at the head of his
profession as a commercial lawyer and succeeded DeWitt
Clinton as Mayor of New York; Edward Livingston was a
noted jurist and statesman, best known for his masterly
codification of the penal laws of Louisiana; and Robert R.
Livingston was a man of international fame. He was one of
fiv:. to draft the Declaration of Independence, the first Chan-
cellor under a state constitution that he had helped draw up,
as such the person to administer the oath of office to George
Washington, when he became the first president of the
United States, interested with Robert Lulton in developing
a plan of steam navigation, and, most important of all per-
haps, successful as an ambassador in securing the cession of
Louisiana to the United States.

The Academy was honored also by its honorary member-
ship, among whom were soon enrolled Napoleon Bonaparte,
a personal friend of Chancellor Livingston, who “presented
to the institution many valuable busts, antique statues, and
rare prints,” ^ including twenty-four volumes of the works of
Giovanni Battista Piranesi, the Italian etcher of ancient
Rome, Vivant Denon, the Lrench archaeologist and diplo-
matist, and Benjamin West, “the Quaker Boy who became the
President of the Royal Academy.” That West was interested
in the museums of his day is shown by his going on a museum
pilgrimage in 1801 to see the collection of art brought to-
gether in the Louvre.

John Trumbull was the one artist mentioned in the charter.
That there were no other representatives of his guild is not
remarkable in view of the fact that there were no others of
sufficient standing, socially and artistically, to merit the
honor; and although there is no authority for the statement,
it is undoubtedly true that he was the moving force in the
undertaking during its early days as he was during its later
^Tuckerman, Book of the Artists, p. 16.

13

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

history.^ Of a most distinguished family, he had associated
from his childhood with the great men of his day; just re-
turned from England, he was well acquainted with the work-
ings of the Royal Academy; and for both these reasons he
would naturally have moulded the new institution on aris-
tocratic lines. It may be said that no other artist of his
period in this country received so much government patron-
age. We may surmise that he easily commanded it on the
strength of his father’s connection with the politicians of the
day. His four historical pictures for the rotunda in the
Capitol at Washington — the Declaration of Independence,
the Surrender of Burgoyne, the Surrender of Cornwallis,
and the Resignation of Washington at Annapolis — brought
him in f 32,000. Yet in his last years he was glad to
accept an annuity of $1,000 from ^ ale College in return
for a bequest to the college of his works. John Durand’s
analysis of Colonel Trumbull’s character throws some
light on the incidents in the Academy history in which
he was the prime mover. Durand says, “ He was of
an excitable and even passionate temperament, which
often rendered him arbitrary and dictatorial in certain
public relations. Of superior intelligence, wide experience,
noble in aspiration, and conscientious, he would defer
only to those whom he knew to surpass him in these
qualities.” -

The youthful academy at once set about obtaining the
collection of casts. Robert R. Livingston, as already re-
corded, was its first purchasing agent in Paris. His shipment
of casts reached New York in 1803. Livingston’s selection
might well meet with approval as containing works of recog-

'Trumbull’s name stands last on the original agreement of the subscribers,
for he did not return from England to his native land until 1S04, but previous
to this time he had been appealed to by letter for suggestions in regard to
the Academy. The following year he became a Director of the .Academy.

2john Durand, John Trumbull, Boston, 1881.

'4

ROBERT FULTON

FROM THE ENGRAVING HY W. S. LENEY
AFTER THE FAINTING BY BENJAMIN WEST

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

nized value. The list, as given in Dunlap^ and furnished him
by John G. Bogert, a member of the Academy, is as follows:
the Apollo Belvedere,Venus of the Capitol, Laocoon, the Glad-
iator, Silenus and Bacchus, Grecian Cupid, Castor and Pol-
lux, Germanicus, Hermaphrodite, Venus of the Bath, Torso
of a Venus, with busts of Homer, Demosthenes, Niobe,
Euripides, Hippocrates, Artemisia, Cleopatra, Alexander,
Bacchus, Roma, Seneca, Augustus, Cicero, Brutus, and
Xenophon. Inasmuch as a committee appointed in 1826
by the Academy to obtain a complete record of the history
of the institution from its beginning failed to obtain a list of
casts purchased by Livingston, even though they corres-
ponded with members of Livingston’s family and hunted
through freight invoices, the accuracy of this list is question-
able. These casts, however, were undoubtedly in the Acad-
emy’s possession, whether obtained by Livingston, or other-
wise.

In the spring of 1803 John Vanderlyn, an American artist
who through the aid of Aaron Burr had already spent five
} ears in study abroad and was returning for a second stay,
was commissioned to add to the collection of casts from the
antique, and to obtain copies of famous pictures. The agree-
ment between John Vanderlyn and the American Academy
runs as follows: “The said John Vanderlyn, in consideration
of the covenants hereinafter expressed, on the part of the said
Edward Livingston, doth covenant and agree to proceed, with
all convenient speed, to the city of Paris, and from thence
to Llorence, Rome, and such other places in Italy, as he shall
judge proper, in order to procure casts from antique statues
and other pieces of sculpture, copies of the best paintings,
and generally to conform himself to such instructions, as
shall from time to time be given to him from the said Society’,

‘William Dunlap, History of the Arts of Design in the United States, \’oI.
I, p. 419.

16

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

and that the said John Vanderlyn will continue in the service
aforesaid, for the space of One Year from the date he arrived,
in consideration whereof service and in full of all personal
expences the said John Vanderlyn the sum of Five Hundred
Dollars previous to his embarkation and to give him a credit
of Two thousand Dollars in Italy to be expended in procur-
ing the said Casts and Copies.” Vanderlyn, though he had
the best of intentions, did not live up to this contract, for he

GOVERNMENT HOUSE
FROM AN ENGRAVING BY SCOLES.
PUBLISHED IN THE NEW YORK MAGAZINE

remained in England for some weeks before he crossed the
Channel, and arriving in Paris took up his abode there, act-
ing, as he wrote to John R. Murray, on the advice of Ben-
jamin West, who assured him Paris was the best possible city
in which to buy casts. Murray in reply exonerated him
from blame for his delay, but urged a prompt compliance in
future with the terms of the contract. A careful search has
failed to reveal what casts were selected by Vanderlyn,
though he sent some by the Brig Success. It is certain,
however, that copies of four paintings: Veronese’s Feast at
the House of Levi, Titian’s Scourging of Christ, Rubens’

17

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Elevation of the Cross, and Caravaggio’s Entombing of
Christ, were received from him.

The arrival of the casts purchased by Livingston necessi-
tated the use of some building for their exhibition. A struc-
ture on Greenwich Street erected for a circus or riding school
and known as the Pantheon^ was hired, and the statuary was
on public exhibition there, but at a financial loss,^ from 1803
to 1805, when the proprietor of the building intended taking
it down.

The Academy next accepted as a loan the upper part of the
Government House facing Bowling Green, on the site of the
present Custom House. “The Government House was
originally designed for the residence of Washington, then
President of the United States, but as the Capital removed to
Philadelphia, the house was never occupied by him. It then
became the Government House, and was the residence of
Governor George Clinton and John Ja\', and from 1 799 to i8i 5
used for the Custom House. At this same time John Wesley
Jarvis, a brilliant, erratic painter, lived in the house, and
Henry Inman was with him as an apprentice. Because of
the demolition of the building in 1815 when it was succeeded
b\- a handsome block of houses, this second exhibition hall
was given up; the casts, of such great value to artists and
students, were stowed away in obscurity in the store of
Captain Farquhar on Vese\’ Street; and the institution
which started with such high hopes, was almost forgotten.

In 1816 the Academy was revived, largely through the in-
fluence of DeW’itt Clinton, then President, and the generous

'An old deed locates its exact position as 100 feet south from the southwest
corner of Rector and Greenwich streets, with a frontage of Si feet and a
deptli of 175 feet, running to high-water line, which is now Washington
Street. — The Circus — its Origin and Growth prior to 1S35, by Isaac J.
Griswold, p. q2.

-Samuel Isham, History of .-\merican Painting, p. 186.

^R. H. Relby, New \'ork Historical Society, 1804-1904, p. 22.

18

JOHN TRUMBULL

FROM IHE ENGRAVING BV ASHER B. DURAND
AFTER THE FAINTING BV THE ARTIST

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

aid of Dr. David Hosack, who, “with his accustomed and
laudable liberality applied to the Merchants’ Bank for a
loan of ^1500, offering his own personal note with the en-
dorsement of John Pintard, Esq., as a security for repay-
ment.”^ This money was to be used to fit up new galleries
in what was hereafter called the New York Institution,
granted the Academy by the corporation for the yearly rent
of one peppercorn, “if lawfully demanded.” This building
on the north side of City Hall Park, fronting Chambers
Street, on the site of the present County Court House, was
erected in 1795 for an almshouse,- but was empty in 1816, as
“the paupers had been transferred to a palace at Bellevue.”®
Upon the repeated application of the various scientific in-
stitutions of the city the use of this structure had finally been
granted them for ten years. Among the Academy’s comrades
in possession were the American Museum of John Scudder
and the New York Historical Society. Fitz Greene Halleck
in his Fanny, published in 1819, refers humorously to this
arrangement,

“ It remains

To bless the hour the Corporation took it
Into their heads to give the rich in brains.

The worn-out mansion of the poor in pocket,

Once the old almshouse, now a school of wisdom.

Sacred to Scudder’s shells and Dr. Griscom.”^

'Report of a Committee of the .American .Academy of Fine .Arts, in Secre-
tary’s Book, V'ol. I.

=.Mr. Kelby’s description of the building is as follows: “The edifice was
. . 260 feet long by 44 broad, with two projections in front, i 5 x 20 feet

each, and was composed of brick, three stories high, with a basement, and
with no claim to beauty.”

■■'Dunlap, 1 1 : 276.

■•Dr. John Griscom was a highly esteemed Quaker physician, who de-
livered lectures on chemistry in his office at the old almshouse. — Stephen
Jenkins, The Greatest Street in the World, p. 96.

20

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

This same year (October 23d) DeWitt Clinton resigned and
was succeeded as president by John Trumbull. The address

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' y-

THE NEW YORK INSTITUTION
PLAN OF ROOMS

of the retiring president is a memorable one, as Cummings
points out in these words: “This was probably the first
address delivered before any Academy of Arts in the United
States. It was delivered before the citizens of the first city

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEL’M OF ART

in the first state of the Union, and it will not be objected to,
that it should be said it was by the first man in the State.” ^
After discussing the origin, history, and uses of the fine arts, to
show that such an institution as the American Academy was
both desirable and practicable in New York, he pronounced
a eulogy on Robert R. Livingston and Robert Fulton. What
the men of his day thought of his speech may be seen in an
article in The Columbian of October 24, 1816. “Yesterday
at the appointed hour, the City Hall was thronged with
ladies and gentlemen, who flocked to hear the promised dis-
sertation. The principal officers of the army, the members
of the Academy, the .Mayor and municipal officers, with the
judges of the Supreme Court, were also present.” In com-
menting on the address itself, the editor continues: “Strong
discrimination, exalted sentiment, purity of diction, and
flashing imagery — if we might use the expression — char-
acterized it throughout.”

The revived Academy planned for an exhibition this same
autumn, as it was its first opportunity to carry out this part
of its aim. An announcement placed in The Columbian of
September 21, 1816, by its serious tone and carefully-phrased
sentences reveals the personality of John Pintard, as well as
the more formal advertising of his day:

“.All artists, foreign or native, both as professors and
amateurs, are invited to contribute. As the funds of the in-
stitution will be devoted to the establishment of schools for
fostering genius and maturing talents from every clime, the
Academy may confidently look up to a liberal patronage from
a community who acknowledge a cultivation of the Fine .Arts
to be an additional polish to civilization, as well as the means

'Cummings, Historic .Annals of the National Academy of Design, pp. 7-S.
The address may also be found there, as well as in pamphlet form at the
New '\'ork Historical Society.

DEWITT CLINTON
FROM THE ENGRAVING BY V. BATCH
AFTER THE PORTRAIT BY E. AMES

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

of perpetuating whatever may be useful, virtuous and laud-
able to society.

John Pintard, Sec’y.’'

The exhibition proved successful far beyond the expecta-
tion of the officers. It contained the Lear, Ophelia, and
Orlando, by West, lent by Mrs. Robert Fulton and later pur-
chased by a special subscription, and Vanderlyn’s Ariadne,
“ the first successful representation by an American artist of a
mythological subject,”^ exhibited in London four years be-
fore with great credit to the artist. The organization after
a decade of struggle seemed to be on a firm footing. Among
the prominent men enrolled as honorary members soon after
1816 were Canova and Joseph Nollekens among sculptors,
Martin Shee, then President of the Royal Academy, Wash-
ington Allston, Henry Raeburn, and Thomas Lawrence. A
sentence from Shee’s letter of acceptance seems to express
the feeling common among those thus honored: “1 cannot
but congratulate the friends of the Fine Arts in the United
States on the formation of an Establishment for their cul-
tivation in a Country where all the materials of greatness ap-
pear to accumulate with a rapidity unexampled in the histor\'
of other nations. An early sense of the importance of the
fine Arts amongst a people, is perhaps the most promising
indication of general refinement, as well as the most certain
pledge of future fame.”^ Nollekens, indulging in the florid
style of the period, declares that it is peculiarly gratifying to
him to be thus admitted into an Institution which discovers
a just appreciation of the Fine Arts in the great Atlantic
Empire; and to be allowed in consequence of this admission
to regard himself “as a part, however small, of that majestic

'Frederic De Peyster, Biographical Sketch of Chancellor Livingston,
p. 10.

*’] he manuscript may be seen in the Museum Library.

24

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

State, which springing from the base of liberty, towers loftily
in power amid the nations of the earth and is now by the cul-
tivation of Literature and the Fine Arts arraying itself in
Beauty.” ^ Raeburn appreciated the honor so greatly that he
sent to the new organization as his contribution a portrait
of Vanbrugh Livingston, who was abroad at the time.

The By-laws, passed December i8th, i8i6, furnish enter-
taining reading. For example, a part of Section X, Of the
Exhibitions: “And be it further ordained. That there shall
be two annual exhibitions in the gallery and chambers of the
Academy, the one in the spring and the other in the fall.

. . . All Artists of distinguished merit as Painters, Sculp-

tors, and Designers, shall be permitted to exhibit their works.
Amateurs in these arts shall be invited to expose, in the gal-
lery of the Academy, any of their performances which may
be thought worthy of the exhibition; and persons having in
their possession pieces of sufficient merit, may be invited to
contribute them for an exhibition. But no piece or subject
for exhibition shall be received after the time which shall be
mentioned in a notice, to be for that purpose published.
Previous to each exhibition, a catalogue of the paintings,
statues, busts, drawings, models, and engravings shall be
published under the direction of the Keeper of the Academy.
The price for entrance into the gallery of the Academy, to
those who are not entitled to a free entrance, shall be twenty-
five cents, to be paid to the Door-keeper; and the price of a
catalogue, which shall be furnished by the Door-keeper
when required, shall be twelve and a half cents.”

A part of Section XI, Of Entrance to the Gallery of the
Academy, is amusing in its details. It reads, “That all
persons entitled to free admission, may receive from the
Secretary or Keeper of the Academy, a metal pass or ticket,

'Records of the American Academy of Fine Arts. These may be seen
in the New York Historical Society.

25

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

of such form and with such device as may be approved of by
the Directors, for which the Secretary or Keeper shall be
entitled to' receive, for the funds of the Academy, from the
person taking the same, the actual cost of the said pass or
ticket. That the person receiving the same, shall have his
or her name engraved thereon, and there shall also be en-
graved thereon, the words ‘Not transferable’ . . . The

exhibition of this metal pass to the Door-keeper, shall at all
times be a sufficient passport for such person to the gallery
of the Academy, when the said gallery is open for exhibition.”

In point of fact, exhibitions do not appear to have been
held so frequently as twice each year, owing, it may be, to
the scarcity of material to draw on or the difficulty of bring-
ing together, twice annuall}', paintings sufficient in number
to make a really attractive exhibit. It was scarcely to be
expected that after 1826, when the National Academ\' of
Design was established, the two academies could hold exhi-
bitions with equal success, and presumably the younger
academy with its membership of artists would have a de-
cided advantage over the older organization. The cata-
logues of the different exhibitions do not increase in size and
interest, but rather decline. For example, an exhibition in
181 7 contains 2 52 paintings and miniatures, besides sculpture,
while the sixteenth annual exhibition, held in 1835, has only
92 entries, paintings and sculpture combined; and wTat is
true of numbers is also true, to some extent, of the character
of the works exhibited. According to an advertisement in
the New York Evening Post even as late as December ii,
1835, we learn that the sixteenth annual exhibition “will
open to the publick about the 10th of November, by which
time the sidewalk of Mr. Astor’s Hotel will be laid down.”
Was it, perchance, the sidewalk that caused the dela}', or the
scarcity of pictures?

fhe year 1816, then, stands as the high-water mark of the

26

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

Academy’s activity and influence. Succeeding exhibitions,
though they included paintings of merit — the most highly
valued being Lawrence’s full-length portrait of Benjamin
West, obtained by a number of gentlemen for the Academ\’
by a subscription of $2,000 — did not win great popular in-
terest; in fact, the daily attendance was not large enough to
pay the doorkeeper’s salary. Several of John Trumbull’s
works, among them his Suffer Little Children and W'oman
Taken in Adultery, were purchased, but the debt for them
was not paid until years later and then only b)' return of the
pictures.

In addition to the regular exhibitions, occasionally some
one picture was advertised in glowing terms as a special at-
traction. The following notice, in the New York Evening
Post for March 6, 1826, may stand as representative of these
announcements:

“EXHIBITION at the gallery of the Academy of Eine
Arts, of the splendid picture representing the great corona-
tion of the Emperor Napoleon, in the Cathedral at Paris, by
the celebrated painter, David. The size of the picture is
750 square feet. The Emperor is represented placing the
crown on the head of the Empress Josephine. His famil\'.
Pope Pius VI I, the Cardinals, the Ambassadors, and the
principal characters of the Imperial Court, are all represented
with the rich costumes they were decorated with on the day
of the ceremony.”

The chroniclers of the Academ}' history, Dunlap and Cum-
mings, discuss its failure to accomplish its high aims; but
as academicians of the National Academy of Design the\'
were liable to prejudice and partisanship, and especiall)’
hostile to John Trumbull. Cummings gives two reasons
for the American Academy’s failure: the unchangeableness
in its exhibitions, which were not suited to a novelty-seeking

27

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

public, and John Trumbull’s opposition to the opening of
schools. At one time the casts were open to students for
copying in summer from six to eight o’clock in the morning;
at another, from six to nine o’clock. But, according to Cum-
mings, when the student’s zeal had led him to early rising,
he found many times that the keeper, not sharing the same
stimulus, had overslept. One fatal morning when Messrs.
Cummings and Agate were thus disappointed, Mr. Trumbull
coming along learned of their plight, but only to remark, as
Dunlap records his words, “These young men should re-
member that the gentlemen have gone to a great expense in
importing casts, and that they (the students) have no prop-
erty in them. They must remember that beggars are not
to be choosers.”^ Certainly such words might well sound the
death knell of practical usefulness for any institution.

After the National Academy of Design in 1826 established
a school, the Directors of the American Academy tried to
retrieve their early failure with the students, but pitiful is
the contrast between their great hopes and trifling accom-
plishment. At three different times, in 1826, 1829, and 1839,
special advertisements were put in the newspapers, offering
opportunity for students to use the gallery certain evenings,
with “lights, fuel, and the necessary accommodations fur-
nished at the expense of the Academy.” That the directors
expected a throng of applicants, among them boisterous
spirits, is shown by the rules for the students engrossed on
the minutes in 1826:

“ If any be guilty of idleness or improper behaviour in the
School, and do not quietly submit to the Rules and orders
which shall from time to time be established for their regula-
tion; or shall not behave with proper respect and civility to
the Officers of the Academy, it shall be the duty of the Keeper,
Secretar\’ or other Officer, witnessing such misconduct, to

^Dunlap, 1 1, p. 280.

28

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

report the same to the Board of Directors at their next meet-
ing; and they in their discretion shall reprimand, rusticate
or expel the Offender; and any Student who shall be expelled
for misconduct, shall never be readmitted to the privileges
of the Academy.

“ During the time they are drawing, all the Students shall
■observe silence; endeavoring to do their work quietly, in-
•dustriously and without making dirt in the room, by scatter-
ing or trampling on chalk, or otherwise; and when they have
finished the work of the day, each one shall put away his
drawing, paper and materials carefully and neatly.”

No such crowd of eager applicants besieged their doors;
the students were but a scattering few. In 1830, four years
later, the President and members rejoiced over even a modi-
cum of success, the record reading thus:

“The President submitted for examination. Two Drawings
executed by young gentlemen in the Gallery of Sculpture
under his inspection; and reported verbally that from fifteen
to twenty others had attended, since the Gallery was opened
for evening study, with great zeal and various success; none
of them however had quite completed drawings, which they
were disposed to submit at present, to the examination of the
Board. Whereupon the following Resolution was unani-
mously adopted. The Board of Directors of the American
Academy of the Fine Arts, having seen and examined two
drawings, lately executed from the Statue of Germanicus in
the Gallery of the Sculpture, . . . feel it to be their duty
to express the satisfaction they have had in viewing these
the first fruits of regular study under their protection — and
have no hesitation in adding . . . that they fully expect
to have in their power, the pleasing duty of offering a vote
of approbation to other young gentlemen.”

Samuel F.B. Morse, later the first president of the National
Academy of Design, in a most interesting manuscript which

29

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

he called Remarks on the bad tendency of the American
Academy previous to the formation of the National Academ}',
discussed what he called the “essential error” of the Ameri-
can Academy as follows: “The Academy needs new model-
ing; its defects must be looked at not for the purpose of
finding fault, but to devise and apply a proper remedy; its
evils have grown out of its very constitution, in creating it a
stockholding institution; as any one can be a member by
paying twenty-five dollars, and thus be entitled to vote,
at the election of President, Vice President, and Directors,
which Directors are composed not of Artists only or even of
a majority of artists, but of men highly respectable and intel-
ligent in other professions, but whose professions must chiefl\
or entirely engross their minds. This circumstance has a
natural tendency to create want of confidence in the minds
of Artists, and it has created it.” In a letter to De \Vit+
Clinton, written in 1826, the same point is made ver}' plainl\ .
“The American Academy of Fine Arts was undoubtedly
formed with the best intentions towards the Fine Arts and
its professors; it was formed on different principles (perhaps
necessarily) from any Academy of Arts in the world. The
Pennsylvania Academy of Arts was afterwards formed on
similar principles; they differ from other Academies in this
essential particular, that Artists have the direction in all
European Academies, while in our Academies Artists are in
the minority. Our Academies may therefore be looked upon
as experiments, and the similarity of results in Philadelphia
and in this city has proved that there is something radicall\"
wrong in their constitution.”

Still a different statement of the reason for the Academy’s
failure is given by John Durand^ in his John Trumbull.
“The truth is, that in his connexion with the American

'John Durand, John Trumbull, Boston, 1881, quoted in Life and Times of
A. B. Durand, p. 27.

30

DAVID HOSACK, M. D.

FROM IMF: ENGRAVING liY ASHER li. DURAND
AFTER THE PORIRAIl BY IHOMAS SULLY

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Academy of the Fine Arts . . . Trumbull was tr>ing

to make water run up hill. The difficulty between him and
the artists who seceded from that institution was not so much
due to him as to a condition beyond his control. The plan
of the American Academy (was) not adapted to this country
or manageable by directors taken from the non-professional
classes. The public at that time cared very little about art;
there were few artists, and the judgment of stockholders,
whose authority in the institution grew out of the money
they paid for their shares, did not fulfd the same ends as the
more intelligent patronage of a king and the support of a
cultivated aristocracy. Colonel Trumbull was familiar with
the foreign condition of things, and the mistake he made was
in supposing that a kindred institution could be at once
established in an entirely new country. The American
Academy of the Fine Arts, accordingly, is simply a forerunner
of similar attempts that have utterly failed or proved abor-
tive through a similar misconception of means in relation to
ends.”

Upon the dissolution of the Academy in 1841, its records
were given to the New York Historical Societ}’ by Alexander
j. Davis, the last Secretary. These contain the concluding
chapter of its history. In 1831 the City Corporation had
not seen fit longer to give homes to the various literary and
scientific institutions in the New York Institution. This
result had been imminent for several years. In 1826 at an
Anniversary Banquet of the Academy the following toast
had been offered: “The Honorable Corporation of the City
of New York: They have given to our academies, scientific
and literary institutions, for the present, ‘a local habitation
and their name’; may they do honour to themselves by mak-
ing the shelter a gift.” Compelled to seek new quarters,
the directors entered into a contract with Dr. David Hosack
for building a gallery in Barela)' Street, occupying a part of

3^

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

the ground now covered by the Astor Housed Here as else-
where the institution continued dormant.

A circular issued in March, 1839, to give notification to
the public of certain resolutions passed by the directors,
seems to have been a last vain bid for popularity. The
resolutions are as follows:

“Resolved, That the room, No. 8, Barclay-street, hereto-

t'e/ 2'r/Ji/^fryy/t-jaa'c. M xyajr/a^y 7-M/yy/.

/S

Cduiid.

'> .i.y

. 1

ytu:-!/.'. •

.

1-

PLAN OF THE AMERICAN ACADE.MV’s BUILDING
BARCLAY STREET

fore occupied by Col. Trumbull be, and the same is hereby
set apart as a perpetual Exhibition Room for Artists; for the
.Academician Pictures, Books, and other property of the
Academy suitable for an Academical Studio; and that said
Room be also used as a place of meeting for all or any pur-
poses tending to promote the interests of the Fine Arts.

“That the Rev. Clergy, Editors of public press, and all
persons engaged in education, be, and are hereby invited to
frequent said Academical Studio, in order to become the
better acquainted with the state and progress of the Fine
'John Sartain, Reminiscences of a Very Old Man, p. 140.

33

IHE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
Arts in our Emporium, and to circulate information to the
public.

“ Resolved, That an Antique School be opened for Students
in the Sculpture Gallery, on the evenings of Tuesday, Thurs-
day, and Saturday in each week, from seven to nine o’clock,
under the inspection of Visitors, to be chosen from time to
time by the Academy.”

The Keeper’s Book records that in April, 1839. a fire oc-
curred in the library of the Academy, which consumed man\'
of the books and prints, especially the case of Piranesi pre-
sented by Napoleon Bonaparte, and damaged the paintings.
“Such was the apathy of the stockholders and the neglect of
the artists that no measures v/ere taken to revive the energies
of the Academy. Rents accumulating, the property was
yielded to the lawful trust of the President and Treasurer,
and much of the same returned to the donors. The remain-
ing effects, together with the portrait of W est, were sold to
pay debts. (About $2,400 was due Dr. Hosack’s heirs for
rent.) The portrait went to the Wadsworth Athenaeum,
Hartford.” The casts were sold to the National Academy of
Design for $400, and remained in use in the Academ\ ’s
school until they were almost all destroyed b\' fire in
1905.

Mr. Davis, ignoring the Academy ’s comparative lack of
success, dismisses the entire subject with a complacent state-
ment, “The object of the founders had been fulfilled; the
casts had been obtained; the schools had been established
through their instrumentalit}', and the Arts were placed in
the keeping of the great body of Artists.” Although from
the vantage point of the twentieth century we cannot agree
with every clause of this valedictory, we can at least recog-
nize that John Trumbull and his associates in the Academy
had given an initial impetus to the progress of art in this cit\’,
setting in motion forces still operative and inaugurating

34

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

methods of museum administration in use today. For their
work as pioneers they merit grateful appreciation.

' ^

. •■ /. .

>J/,' 'l

c.

7

> J >y>^'

-P^ ;-^ ' /- /

STATEMHNT OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY S RESOURCES

2. THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

ESTABLISHED IN 1804.

This organization deserves a place among institutions
promoting the interests of art in New York City, both be-
cause of the valuable collections deposited within its walls

35

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

today and because of several pages in its history that are
unmistakably a part of the history of art in the city. This
account is confined to those incidents.

John Pintard, for some years Secretary of the American
Academy, the first to agitate the free school system, a man
unusually gifted as a leader, originated the plan for the
organization of this institution, the principal design of which
is to “collect and preserve whatever may relate to the natural,
civil, or ecclesiastical history of the United States in general,
and of this state in particular.”^ Egbert Benson, a distin-
guished judge and devoted patriot, became its first president.
At least two of its founders, DeWitt Clinton, the noted
jurist, and Dr. David Hosack, the eminent educator, were
prominent in the American Academy of the Fine Arts. By
invitation of the Academy in 1809, the society occupied a
room in the Government House, and in 1816 was a neighbor
of the Academy in the New York Institution.

In fact, John Pintard three years earlier had suggested the
plan of setting aside one city building, either the Almshouse
or the Bridewell, for the common occupancy of the literar\
and scientific institutions, in a letter dated August 28, 1812,
and addressed to the Mayor, DeWhtt Clinton. That public-
spirited man, however, devoted as he was to the American
Academy and the Historical Society, observed that the re-
quest was “too impudent to be submitted to the Corpora-
tion.”^ A spirit of daring is shown in John Pintard’s mem-
orable letter. Referring to the war which the country was
then waging, he wrote, “ It may be urged that this is not the
moment for such great enterprizes — That our City is para-
lyzed by the present times — and that little encouragement
can be expected for the promotion of literary establishments
— True — Inter Arma, Silent Leges — But we have a right,

*R. H. Kelby, The New York Historical Societj', 1804-1904. p. 2.

-R. H. Kelby, The New 'I'ork Historical Societ}', 1804-1904, p. 25.

36

JOHN PINTARD

FROM A PEN-AND-INK DRAWING BY AN UNKNOWN ARTIST

HIE METROPOLITAN MCSEUM OF ART
Auspice Teucro, to hope for better times, and it may be
proper to anticipate any other applications respecting the
public buildings. For this purpose a respectful Memorial
will be shortly presented to the Corporation.”

When this memorial from “sundry Literary Societies” was
laid before the Common Council in May, 1814, its committee
took a full t ear to draw up what its members deemed a suit-
able report, recommending in most flowery words the granting
of the petition. “Would not a garden spot, in which the
} oung plants of science might be cultivated, be a suitable 6:
delectable first fruit offering to the Goddess of Peace?” they
asked. “With considerable success they (the petitioners)
have already planted and nourished several; and if the culti-
vation is only moistened with your friendly dew, these \ oung
trees will ere long exhibit a luxuriance and spread into a
grove of science, under the shade of which )’our men of genius
may securely repose.”^ So the “constellation of science,” as
these grandiloquent gentlemen phrased it, began “to illum-
inate our hemisphere.”

During the first fifty years of the Historical Societ\'’s ex-
istence, the members had “acquired a small collection of por-
traits, and proposed (in 1856) to enlarge and extend their .A.rt
Collections, with a view of providing a public gallery’ of art
in this cit)'.”' This aim was greatl\' strengthened when on
June 22, 1858, the entire collection of the New ^'ork Gallery
was transferred to the Historical Society and deposited in
perpetuitN' in its rooms. According to the agreement, signed
by Jonathan Sturges, to whose hearty cooperation the Society
was greatly indebted for this valuable addition to its artistic
treasures, and John Durand, for the New ^’ork Galler\’. and
Luther Bradish and Andrew Warner for the Historical

'Quoted in The History of the New York Society Library, by .Austin B.
Keep, pp. 294 and 296.

-R. H. Kelby, The New York Historical Society, 1S04-1904, p. 52.

38

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

Society, the Society was to preserve the collection in good
order, provide a suitable gallery for its “ reception, safe-
keeping, and proper exhibition,” and admit all members of
the Gallery free upon presentation of their Gallery tickets.
Appended to the agreement is a list of the works of art in the
collection : seventy-nine paintings and miniatures, three pieces
■of statuary, and about two hundred and fifty engravings.^

THE NEW YORK INSTITUTION, CITY HALL PARK, NORTH END, 1 82 S
FROM A LITHOGRAPH

The next year Mr. James Lenox presented to the Society the
Nineveh Sculptures, consisting of thirteen reliefs representing
winged and eagle-headed human figures and the sacred tree,
and in i860 some generous citizens secured for the Society
the Abbott Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, collected by
Dr. Henry Abbott during a residence of twenty years in
Cairo, and for several years exhibited in the Stuyvesant In-
stitute on Broadway, above Bleecker Street, with an admis-
sion price of twenty-five cents. This is a really remarkable

'See Page 67.

39

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
collection which includes objects of great interest, such as
three mummies of the Sacred Bull Apis, and a gold necklace
and ear-rings stamped with the name of Menes, the first
Pharaoh of Egypt, who reigned 2750 years before Christ.
Thus within three years the Historical Society came into the
possession of a valuable nucleus for a large public gallery of
art.

“The Society was the first to formulate a plan to establish
a museum and art gallery for the public in Central Park.”^
The action of the Executive Committee, August 14, i860,
reads as follows:

“Whereas, The position and character of the building
known as the New York State Arsenal, near the southeastern
corner of Central Park, point it out as a proper location for a
grand museum of antiquities, science, and art:

“And, IVhereas, There appears to be no existing institution
whose present collections and prospects for future acquisi-
tions seem more suitable to the occasion than this Societ>',
the recent and prospective increase of whose museum and
gallery of art already indicates the rapidly approaching ne-
cessity of a more ample provision for their accommo-
dation:

“Therefore, mindful of their relations and duties to the
citizens of New York, who have so liberally sustained all
their efforts to place upon an enduring foundation the estab-
lishment of this Society as a public institution, whose collec-
tions in all departments may be accessible to all classes of the
community, subject only to such regulations as may be
essential for security and preservation, and anticipating
cordial and universal approbation:

“ Resolved, That a Committee of five members, of which the
president of the Society shall be a member and requested to
act as Chairman, be appointed to take such preliminar\

'New York Historical Society, 1804-1904, p. 53.

40

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

measures as may be advisable, with a view to securing the
State Arsenal and adjoining ground in the Central Park
for the museum of the Society.”

R. H. Kelby’s account of the further proceedings may well
be quoted entire. “An act to improve Central Park was
passed by the Legislature, March 25, 1862, authorizing the
Commissioner to set apart and appropriate to the Society

MT. SAINT VINCENT, CENTRAL PARK
FROM A LITHOGRAPH BY GEORGE HAYWARD,
PUBLISHED IN VALENTINE’S MANUAL, 1862

the building known as the New York State Arsenal, with
such grounds adjoining as the Commissioners may determine
necessary for the purpose of establishing and maintaining by
the Society a museum of antiquities and science and a gallery
of art. Efforts to secure the necessary funds for the promo-
tion of the plan failed.”^

At the Arsenal, or Central Park Museum, as Tuckerman
calls it, were already stored no less than eighty-seven plaster
‘New York Historical Society, 1804-1904, p. 54.

41

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

casts of Thomas Crawford’s works, presented to the Park
Commissioners by Louisa W. Crawford, and his Flora, pre-
sented by R. K. Haight. “In 1866 . . . the Comptroller was
authorized to put the brick building formerly used for a con-
vent chapel (of the Mt. St. Vincent buildings at McGown’s
Pass) in order for use as a statuary gallery and museum.’’^
The .Vlt. St. Vincent buildings served manifold purposes,
ministering “to the appetites of those who visited these then
remote parts” by a refreshment-house known as Stetson’s
Hotel and to their finer sensibilities through a temple of art.
Great hopes were built upon this venture, but when the
building was destroyed by fire January 2, 1881, the statuary
was carried to the Arsenal building and there stored.

1o continue the records of the Historical Societ}', “In
consequence of the low ground and the proximit}’ of the
reservoir near the Arsenal Building, the Societ}' urged a
change to higher ground in the Park. The Legislature passed
an act, April 29, 1868, setting apart for the use of the Societ}'
a site in the Park, covering Eighty-first to Eighty-fourth
Streets, three hundred feet west of Eifth Avenue, the build-
ing to be erected at the expense of the Society.

“ Renewed efforts were made in 1870 to carr}' out the plan
of the Society to establish a museum of history, antiquities,
and art, by the erection of a building on the new site in the
Park; but owing to the great cost of the proposed building,
and the erection of the same on city propert}', the scheme
was finally abandoned.”- To all interested in the histor}' of
The .VIetropolitan Museum of Art these facts have a peculiar
interest, for 1870 was the very year of the incorporation of
the Museum, and in 1871 the Legislature passed an act pro-
viding $500,000 for the erection of a building for the Museum

'.American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, Sixteenth .Annual
Report, p. 433.

-New York Historical Society, 1804-1904, p. 35.

4^

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

within Central Park or some other of the public land belong-
ing to the City. It was difficult for the journals of the day
to predict which project would prosper. An article in the
Home Journal for April 20, 1870, discussing the prospects of
the venerable Historical Society and the youthful Metro-
politan Museum of Art, sums up the status of the former in
these words, “ Here is a collection in posse many times larger
and more valuable than that of the British Museum. Noth-
ing remains to be done for its completion but the simple
transferring in esse. The process is the simplest imaginable.
Given the requisite funds, and we have an art museum equal
to our highest demands, representing all the masterpieces
and products of every age and school ; a grand art-focus of the
continent, attracting genius, talent, and taste from the re-
motest regions, and irradiating all with its refining, inspiring
influences. The charter and the grant of a site for the
institution in the Central Park, have long been in the pos-
session of the Historical Society, and everything is now ready
for the supplementary movement.”

Two more gifts of importance have greatly increased the
treasures in the Historical Society’s building; one, the Bryan
Collection, numbering two hundred and fifty pictures, given
by Mr. Thomas j. Bryan in 1867; the other, one hundred and
fifty paintings, an admirable supplement in character to the
Bryan Collection, bequeathed in 1882 by Mr. Louis Durr, a
gold and silver refiner, who had been a devoted student from
boyhood of the old schools of painting. The earlier collec-
tion, gathered as a labor of love by Mr. Bryan during many
years of foreign residence, was for some time arranged on the
walls of a spacious room in a house on Broadway at the corner
of Thirteenth Street. The guide books of the day call this
the Bryan Gallery of Christian Art. It was a public gallery,
for admission to which a fee of twenty-five cents was charged.
It was well worth seeing, as it contained among other inter-

43

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

esting paintings several Italian works of the Trecento, a
Rembrandt portrait, a portrait by Van Dyck, and a Last
Judgment by Lucas Van Leyden. Contemporary writers
refer to the delight of seeing Mr. Bryan, a charming old
gentleman with snowy hair and florid complexion, in pic-
turesque robe and velvet cap, seated in an old-fashioned arm-
chair in his gallery like a venerable burgomaster of Holland
or a merchant prince of Florence surrounded by his treasures.
His was a life of leisure and affluence which was redeemed
from mere pleasure seeking and given aim and worth by an
absorbing love of art. Finding it impossible to insure his
collection, exposed as the paintings were, without great ex-
pense, he deposited them for a time in the Cooper Union and
then gave them to the Historical Society.

A delightful little volume, called Companion to the Bryan
Gallery of Christian Art,^ and written by the eminent es-
sa\ ist and Shakesperian scholar, Richard Grant W hite, was
published by Baker, Godwin & Co. in 1853. This trul\
literary catalogue states in the preface, “This gallery has
in its historical character an importance not possessed b\
an\' other ever opened to the public in this country. The rise
and progress of each of the great schools, the Italian, the
German, the Flemish, the Dutch, and the French, can be
traced by characteristic productions of those schools in all
the stages of their development, which hang upon these walls.
This peculiarity of the collection is almost of equal impor-
tance with the intrinsic beauty and excellence of a large por-
tion of the works which compose it. . . . The author

declines to express any opinion upon the authenticity of the
many pictures here which bear some of the greatest names in
art; but he wishes it to be understood that he does this solely

‘Printed with the proceedings of the New York Historical Society on the
announcement of the death of Thomas J. Bryan, June, 1870. This catalogue
may be found in the .Museum Library.

44

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

on account of his entire want of confidence in his ability to
speak with the least authority upon that subject. . . .

.Mr. Bryan has bought and cleaned his pictures himself; and
of those which he thus laboriously brought to light, he has
rejected six for every one which now hangs upon his walls.
But . . . the author would not do himself justice, to

say nothing of justice to the collection and its proprietor, did
he not state that his confidence in the correctness with which
the works have been attributed to the various masters whose
names they bear, as well as his admiration for the intrinsic
beauty of most of them, and his interest in the collection as a
whole, has increased pari passu, with his study of the paint-
ings.”

3. THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN

This well-established organization of eighty-five years'
existence was the outgrowth of an earlier Drawing Associa-
tion, which was started upon the suggestion of Samuel F.
B. Morse, an artist as well as a scientist, “For the Promotion
of the Arts and the Assistance of Students,” in other words, a
simple organization for mutual improvement in drawing
formed by a few young men, mere boys many of them must
have seemed to the honorable gentlemen of the older academy.
.Morse, wishing to reconcile the petty dissensions of the
artists, invited a number of them to his room one evening,
“ostensibly to eat strawberries and cream, but really to be-
guile them into something like agreeable intercourse.”^ This
gathering was the forerunner of many meetings of the Draw-
ing Association. The organization was effected on the
eighth of November, 1825, in the rooms of the Historical
Society in the New York Institution. Its members, thirty
in number, included such familiar names as Henry Inman,
.A.. B. Durand, Thomas S. Cummings, later its historian,

'Tuckerman, p 167.

45

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

William Dunlap, C. C. Ingham, and Thomas Cole. Among
its simple rules were found these: “That its members
should meet in the evening, three times a week, for
drawing. That each member furnish his own drawing
material. That the expense of light, fuel, etc. be paid b\’
equal contributions. That new members should be ad-
mitted on a majority vote — paying five dollars entrance
fee. That the lights should be lighted at six and extin-
guished at nine o’clock p. m.”^

Not long after the organization of the association. Colonel
Trumbull, with the stately dignity becoming a gentleman
of the Old School, entered the room where the members were
drawing, took the president’s chair as belonging to him, and
with authority asked all present to sign the matriculation
hook of the American Academy, thus enrolling as students of
that institution. This they refused to do, not considering
themselves under the Academy’s tuition. Great was the
indignation expressed, and the suggestion of forming a rival
academy was immediateh' made. The association, however,
really desired a union with the academ\’ could the artists
obtain such a share in the direction of the academ}' as the\'
deemed necessary for the welfare of the institution.

This statement is borne out by the writings of John In-
man, brother of Henry 1 nman, who under the name of Bo\ dell
published letters in the Morning Courier, and b\’ the words
of Samuel F. B. Morse, than whom surely no one knew better
the full details of the early history of the National Academ\'
of Design. In the letter to DeWitt Clinton previousl}'
quoted, Mr. Morse wrote, “In the last autumn the}' (the
artists) were accidental!}’ (I ma}’ sav) associated together as
a Drawing Association; groundless suspicion was entertained
of their views b}’ some cf the Beard cf Directors of the Acad-
em}’ of Fine Arts, which has at length resulted in creating the
'Cummings, p. 22.

46

SAMUEL FINLEY BREESE MORSE

FROM A PAINTING BY HIMSELF
PROPERTY OF MRS. FRANZ RUMMEL

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

very object of their suspicions, 1 mean a new academy of
arts. Every effort was made on our part to prevent this
result; amicable negociation was entered into between the
Artists and the American Academy of Fine Arts. It was
mutually agreed that the whole plan of the Academy should
be revised by the next Board of Directors; we were promised
six artists in the Board; the Artists unitedly bore the expence
of ^loo to make four of those who were to represent them
eligible according to a rule of the Academy; the whole busi-
ness therefore turned on the election or non-election of the six
artists representatives. The election took place and two only
of the six were chosen; the Artists were therefore rejected
from the Institution. It was our intention to have published
all the proceedings which led to this result. But wishing to
avoid everything like controversy, we came to the determina-
tion of forming a new academy of arts according to our own
views; and, leaving the gentlemen of the Academy of Fine
Arts to manage their Institution, direct all our energies to the
building up of our own.”

Several times during the ensuing years union was suggested
and committees appointed, but without success. One passage
of arms from the New\'ork American of May, 1826, illustrates
the strained relations between the two organizations. At the
anniversary banquet of the American Academy, a member
gave the following toast: “The recent association of living
artists: May their works survive them.” A few days
afterwards The American published a rh} ming letter from A
Fiving Artist which showed plainly how the shaft rankled.
The following day the member of the American Academy,
signing himself A Doctor and Director, retorted that as his
first complimentary wish had not been pleasing, he would
change it to one more likely of fulfilment: “May a Fiving
Artist survive his works.” In all the wrangling between the
older and the younger organization, Morse, though of neces-

48

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

sity drawn into the arena to defend his brethren, appears to
most excellent advantage, acting with tact, courtesy, and
fairness. Trumbull, on the other hand, shows plainly a feeling
of wounded dignity and injured pride.

In 1826, on the 19th of January, the New York Drawing
Association became the National Academy of Design, “The
first institution in the country established by and under
the exclusive control and management of the professional
artists.”^ The name was carefully chosen. The adjective
National was used because any less inclusive word would be
inferiorto American, the word employed by the older Academy.
The arts of design were understood to be painting, sculpture,
architecture, and engraving, just what this new academy was
concerned with; whereas the fine arts, the members con-
sidered, included poetry, music, and other arts. On April
5, 1828, the new organization was formally incorporated by
the State. According to Mr. Morse’s plan adopted by the
association, fifteen professional artists from its membership
were chosen as members of the new Academy, these men to
elect not more than fifteen others to be associated with them
as members. Upon this body devolved the control of the
National Academy of Design. Samuel F. B. Morse was
chosen President.

The greater glory of Morse as a scientist has dimmed the
lesser glory as an artist. These annals recall a fact easily
forgotten, that Morse devoted to art over thirty years of
his life, from his graduation at Yale to about 1844. He
studied in London with Allston and when but twenty-four
years old obtained a gold medal for a statue. The Dying
Hercules, his first attempt at modeling, sent to the Adelphi
Society of Art.

The new academy immediately made plans for its first ex-
hibition, which was held “in a room in the second story of a

'Cummings, p. 5.

49

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

house on the southeast corner of Broadway and Reade
Streets; an ordinary dwelling, and not covering an area of
more than 23 x 50 feet, with no other than the usual side
windows. It was open from 9 a. m. to 10 p. m., and ‘lighted
with gas.’ The gas consisted of two-light ordinary branch
burners — six lights in all, for the whole exhibition.”^ The
total number of objects exhibited — paintings, drawings,
engravings ■ — was one hundred and sevent}-nine. Among
the exhibitors, all of whom were American artists, we are
surprised to find the name of John Trumbull, who was
represented by a portrait of a lady. The catalogue bears
on the title-page the suggestive motto from Thomson,

‘‘Ours are the plans of peace.

To live like brothers, and conjunctive all.
Embellish life.”

This first effort was ushered in with due ceremony at a
private opening by invitation, at which were present ‘‘His
Excellency Governor Clinton and suite, his Honor the Mayor,
the Common Council of the City, the judges of the Courts,
the Eaculty of Columbia College, the members of the Ameri-
can Academy of Eine Arts, and persons of distinction at
‘ present residing in the city.’ ” The members of the'Academ}’
of Design appeared ‘‘with a white rosette in their button-
holes.”

Einancially the exhibition was not wholly successful, a
deficit having been met by an assessment upon the members.
Even this first exhibition was limited to the works of living
artists; that present day artists might have unlimited oppor-
tunity, no Old Masters might apply. Eor the second exhi-
bition the works of living artists only, not before exhibited
by the Academy of Design, were accepted, and by the third

^Cummings, pp. 34, 35.

50

WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT
FROM THE ENGRAVING BY G. PARKER
AFTER THE PORTRAIT BY HENRY INMAN

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

exhibition another restriction was added, that none but
original works should be exhibited. Yet a member of the
National Academy could write to John Neagle of the Phila-
delphia Academy in 1828, “Our exhibition this year far sur-
passes our former exhibitions, and it is furnishing us with
funds for future operations.”

The schools were opened the first year in the rooms of the
Philosophical Society with some forty students and two
lecturers. Dr. F. G. King on Anatomy, also appointed a lec-
turer (in 1825) of the American Academy, and Charles B.
Shaw, Esq. on Perspective. To pay running expenses, each
student was expected to subscribe ^5.00. At the end of the
season Mr. Morse addressed the students in the Chapel of
Columbia College — the old building on Church Street, op-
posite Park Place, no longer standing — taking this oppor-
tunity to review the history of Academies of Art in Europe,
“ to show,” as he himself said, “ what constituted an Academy
of Arts, and thus to dispel the prevailing erroneous impression
of their nature.” His definition was this: “An Academy of
Arts is an Association of Artists for the purposes of Instruc-
tion and Exhibition.” “W’e never saw an audience more
full}^ gratified,” comments the New ^’ork American for May
4, 1827.

Among the lecturers of the National Academy School in
succeeding years was William Cullen Bryant, who read to the
classes five lectures on mvThology in December, 1827, which
were repeated in 1828, 1829, and 1831. Cummings char-
acterizes these lectures as follows: “Early history simpli-
fied— viewed with originality, and pronounced on and filled
with a fervid poetic fire, that interested all.”^ Brxant’s
interest in the Academy of Design, of which he was an Honor-
ary Member, is attested by two other facts: in 1848 he de-
livered a eulogy on Thomas Cole before the Academ}-; in

^Cummings, p. 125.

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

1865 he gave the inaugural address at the opening of the
new building of the Academy on the corner of Twenty-third
Street and Fourth Avenue.

In passing, we might note that the first course of lectures
on the fine arts read in America was delivered by Samuel F.
B. Morse before crowded and enthusiastic audiences at the
New York Athenaeum^ and repeated to the students and
academicians of the Academy of Design.

Two excerpts from Morse’s letters to his parents in 1826
contain delightfully frank references to these lectures. The
first, written on New Year’s day, reads, “I am much en-
gaged in my lectures, have completed two nearly; and hope
to get through the four in season for my turn at the Athe-
nsum. These lectures are of great importance to me, for if
well done, they place me alone among the Artists, 1 being the
only one who has as yet written a course of lectures in our
country; time bestowed on them, therefore, is not misspent,
for they will acquire me reputation which will yield wealth,
as Mother 1 hope will live to see.” The other, dated April
26th, reviews his accomplishment with becoming modesty
but evident pleasure. “The pressure of my lectures became
very great towards the close of them, and 1 was compelled to
bend my whole attention to their completion. 1 did not
expect, when 1 delivered my first, that 1 should be able to
give more than two, but the importance of going through
seemed greater as 1 advanced, and 1 was strengthened to

iThis institution was established in 1824 and merged in the New York
Historical Library in 1838. “Its object was to furnish opportunity for the
highest culture, and to advance science, art and literature. It consisted of
resident and honorary members, the former either associates, patrons, gov-
ernors or subcribers; the funds were to be derived from the contributions of
these four classes, |2oo constituting a patron, $100 a governor, and lesser
sums associates and subscribers. Its library was to comprise, when com-
plete, all the standard elementary works of science and literature of every
age and nation. Monthly lectures were open to both ladies and gentlemen.”
— Mrs. Lamb, History of the City of New York, Vol. 1 1, p. 705.

53

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

accomplish the whole number; and, if 1 can judge from vari-
ous indications, I think 1 have been successful. My audience
(consisting of the most fashionable society in the cit}) reg-
ularly increased at each successive lecture, and at the last
it was said that 1 had the largest audience ever assembled in
the room.”

As it has been the writer’s privilege to read the manuscript
of these lectures, which appear not to have been printed, a
brief synopsis of them seems desirable here. The aim of the
course, called The Affinity of Painting with the other Fine
Arts, was to examine the claims of painting to a place among
the fine arts. This was done in a thoroughly logical fashion.
The fine arts were defined as those arts the principal aim of
which is to please the imagination. The principles of nature
on which the fine arts are based were discussed in detail in
their application to each art. Painting was then discovered
to have the same aim and to be subject to the same laws as
the fine arts. Therefore its place among the fine arts was
established.

Several incidents in the history of the Acadeni}’ of Design
are of special interest in the light of the more recent develop-
ment of institutions of art. For example, it was announced
in 1834 that “a School of Ornament for industrial art pur-
poses would be added to the privileges offered by the
Academy. This excellent opportunity, however, met with
no response. It was left for Cooper Union twent\-five \ ears
later to develop this line of work. An art library was started
in 1838, for the benefit of Academy members. In 1844 “'vas
inaugurated a very highly proper, advantageous, educational
measure • — invitation to all Schools to visit the Exhibition.
It was done by card, procurable on application.” Three
years later nearly six thousand pupils of the schools of the
city were reported as availing themselves of this privilege,

'Cummings, p. 134.

54

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

not a bad showing for the size of the city, approximately
four hundred thousand.

The National Academy since its organization in 1826 had
rented various and sundry rooms for its schools and exhibi-
tions. The need for a permanent home became increasingly
evident. From 1849, when the Academy purchased the
property, No. 663 Broadway, opposite Bond Street, known

THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN
TWENTY-THIRD STREET

as the “Brower’s Stables”, to 1865, when the first home of
the Academy at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Twenty-
third Street, its own building, was completed and occupied,
the officers bent much of their energy to finding a desirable
site and erecting a commodious and attractive building for
the work of the Academy. Site after site was found unsuit-
able. For example, the lots on Twenty-fifth Street between
Broadway and Fifth Avenue were “deemed too far uptown.”

The desire to create in this new edifice a building that

55

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

should be beautiful as well as convenient led to the establish-
ment in 1863 of a Fellowship to the National Academy. Thus
the Academy for the first time made an appeal to the general
public, and admitted to membership those not belonging to
the fraternity of artists, but they avoided the fatal error of
the American Academy by giving the Fellows no share in the
management. By the plan, the Fellowship Fund should be
“devoted to perfecting the building, sustaining the schools,
and generally advancing the interest of the Academy.” A
subscriber of ^100 was to be constituted a Fellow for Life
and entitled to the following privileges: “ten season tickets
to the Exhibition annually, access to the Library and Reading
Rooms, and invitations to all Conversations held at the
Academy; also to nominate two students, annually, who, on
passing the usual examination, (should) be admitted to the
school of the Academy, free of charge.”

A description of this building, appended to the Historic
Annals of the National Academy of Design, contains one
vivid paragraph which is a sort of personally conducted tour.
Surely no wayfaring man, however limited his intelligence,
need err therein. It reads, “Visitors to the Galleries will
enter at the main entrance in the first story. On the left of
a person so entering, is the ticket office; on the right, the
umbrella depository. Passing through the vestibule, the
visitor enters the Great Hali; in front are the stairs leading
to the Galleries above; four steps, the whole width of the
hall, lead to a platform, where he gives up his ticket and bu} s
his Catalogue; from this a double flight leads to another
platform, from which a single flight reaches the level of the
Gallery floor.” ^

The building was constructed from the plans of P. B. Wight
as architect, who set before himself the task of creating a
building that should be a revival of the Gothic st} le in archi-

’Cummings, p. 349.

56

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

tecture, adapted to the needs of the nineteenth century.
The description states that all the carving was carefully
studied from natural forms, the flowers and leaves of our
woods and fields having furnished the models for all the sculp-
ture, which was designed, under the direction of the architect,
by the stone carvers who did the work.

With the most recent years of the history of the Academy
of Design we may not deal ; our concern is with events before
1870.

4. THE APOLLO ASSOCIATION

LATER CALLED THE AMERICAN ART UNION

To James Herring, a portrait painter, who at one time was
Secretary of the American Academy of Line Arts, the origin
of the Apollo Association for the Promotion of the Pine Arts
in the United States is due. He is best known, probably,
for his publication, with James B. Longacre of Philadelphia,
of the National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans,
a work noteworthy for its fine engravings of Jay, Jackson,
Adams, and other public men, many of which A. B. Durand
made. On the title-page is printed, “Under the superinten-
dence of the American Academy of the Pine Arts.” The
arrangement was that a committee of the Academy should act
as judges of the selection of subjects, the merits of paintings
and engravings, and the literary excellence of the work, in
order that it might be “appropriate, well-written, authentic,
and national.”^ In return, all portraits and miniatures ex-
pressly painted for the National Portrait Gallery should be
deposited in the Academy for the use of artists and students,
proofs of all engravings should be framed and hung in the
Director’s room, and a copy of the work should be presented
annually to the library.

•Keeper’s Book, American Academy of the Fine Arts.

57

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OE ART

Herring opened the Apollo Gallery at 410 Broadway and
exhibited therein the works of modern artists. A catalogue
of the first fall exhibition (1838) makes the announcement
that the Apollo Gallery is intended for the “mutual con-
venience of the Artists and the Public; to provide for the
artists a suitable depot for the temporary exhibition of their
works . . . and for the lovers of art a place of resort,

where they may expect to find a rich variety of subjects for
study or for sale.” The price of admission was 25 cents; that
of the catalogue, 12^ cents.

Having conceived the idea of establishing an association
similar to The Edinburgh Association for the Promotion of
Fine Arts in Scotland, Mr. Herring consulted several phil-
anthropic friends of art, among them one long actively in-
terested in the welfare of art. Dr. John \V. Francis, earlier a
professor of the anatomy of painting in the American Acad-
emy. In 1839 he became the first president of the Apollo
Association. Among the later presidents we find Br}ant’s
name for three years, from 1844 to 1846. This new organiza-
tion was incorporated in 1840; in i844the Fegislature changed
its name to the American Art Union, the earlier name having
been judged inappropriate and ill-advised. Under the new
name it had great success and almost unprecedented in-
fluence.

The plan of the organization is stated in the Bulletin of
the American Art Union as follows:

“ Every subscriber of five dollars is a member of the Art
Union for the year, and entitled to all its privileges.

“The money thus obtained, after pa>ing necessary ex-
penses, is applied,

“ First — To the production of a large and costly Original
Engraving from an American painting. Of this Engraving
every member receives a copy for ever)’ five dollars paid b\’
him.

58

JOHN W. FRANCIS, M. D.

FROM THE ENGRAVING BY JULIUS GALLMANN

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

“Second — To the purchase of Paintings and Sculpture,
Statuettes in bronze, and Medals, by native or resident
artists. These Works of Art are publicly exhibited at the
Gallery of the Art-Union till the annual meeting in December,
when they are publicly distributed by lot among the mem-
bers, each member having one share for every five dollars
paid by him.

“Third — The Institution keeps an office and free Picture
Gallery, always open.”

Conducted as the Union was by energetic merchants, it
practically controlled the market for works of art. As the
Art Bulletin of 1853 recorded, “The Art Union, in the man-
agement of its business, purchased its stock, advertised and
exhibited its goods, employed its agents and clerks just like
a merchant.” In 1844 one of the prizes. The Voyage of Life,
by Cole, painted for Samuel Ward, who died before it was
completed, proved so tempting as to increase the number of
subscribers from less than eight hundred to more than sixteen
thousand. The attendance during that year was estimated
as somewhat over half a million people.

If one would realize the scope of the Art Union, let him
read the monthly Bulletin of the Union, published primarily
as a vehicle of communication with the subscribers, but de-
veloping into a creditable journal devoted to the interests of
art, containing news about American artists and exhibitions;
biographies of artists, such as Paul Delaroche, John Constable
and J. M. W. Turner; descriptions of the pictures purchased
for distribution; reprints of articles found in foreign publica-
tions, for example, a paper by Mrs. Jameson, entitled Some
Thoughts on Art; and book notices, among them a review of
Ruskin’s Seven Lamps of Architecture. Included in its
pages were monthly instalments of a Biographical, Tech-
nological, and Topical Dictionary of Art, a series of lessons
on The .Art of Sketching from Nature, and several articles

60

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

on The Cities of Art and the Early Artists, in other words,
on Italian Art.

But Nemesis, in the guise of “distinguished editorial hos-
tility,”^ as Cummings phrases it, was on the trail of so suc-
cessful an organization. The distribution of paintings by a
lottery was pronounced illegal. Accordingly we have the
catalogue of the first (and also the last) annual sale of paint-

GALLERY OF THE ART UNION
FROM AN ENGRAVING AFTER THE DRAWING
BY Z. WALLIN

ings, December 15, 1853, with this explanatory note, “A
competent legal tribunal having decided that the plan hither-
to pursued of distributing works of art by lot was in conflict
with the provisions of the Constitution, the committee have
deemed it expedient to adopt a new medium of communica-
tion between the artist and the public.”

To show the influence of the Art Union, despite its illegal-
ity, upon the progress of art, John Durand has gleaned the
following facts; “In 1836 they (artists) could be counted
on one’s fingers; in 1851, when the Art Union fell under the
'Cummings, p. 149.

61

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

ban of the law, American artists formed a large body. The
collection of paintings that was to have been distributed this
year, and sold at auction in 1853 to close up the institution,
numbered three hundred and ninety-five works, executed
by over two hundred and fifty artists, most of them born on
the soil. During the period of the Art Union’s existence it
distributed two thousand four hundred works, besides numer-
ous original engravings. The institution, if not the creator
of a taste for art in the community, disseminated a knowl-
edge of it and largely stimulated its growth. Through it the
people awoke to the fact that art was one of the forces of
society.” ^

5. THE NEW YORK GAEEERV OE THE
EINE ARTS

This laudable attempt to open a permanent art galler\ is
inseparably connected with the name of Euman Reed, a
successful merchant, and any account of its history should be
prefaced by a statement of the debt New 'I’ork owes to this
generous benefactor, its first patron of the arts on a large
scale, a most munificent patron for any country, whose in-
fluence upon the art movement, both by substantial encour-
agement of American artists and by the effect of his example
upon wealthy men, it would be difficult to overestimate.
Among the men enriched by his commissions and his friend-
ship were A. B. Durand, Thomas Cole, and W. S. .Mount.
One incident may illustrate his kindly beneficence. When
Cole showed Mr. Reed a painting for which he had given a
commission, the merchant inquired the price. Cole an-
swered, “ 1 shall be satisfied if 1 receive $300; but 1 should be
gratified if the price is fixed at $500.” “ \ ou shall be grati-

fied,” replied his patron, and commissioned him to paint five
more pictures at the same price.

’John Durand, Life and Times of A. B. Durand, p. 172.

62

LUMAN REED

AFTER THE PAINTING BY ASHER B. DURAND
FORMERLY IN THE NEW YORK GALLERY
NOW IN THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Mr. Reed’s own home, 13 Greenwich Street, was unique in
that the third story was adapted in building for a picture
gallery, and this was open one day each week to visitors, an
innovation in his time. Another interesting experiment tried
in the gallery was painting the doors in harmony with the
general tone of color of the walls, which work was done b\'
Cole, Mount, Flagg, and Durand. This room was a noted
meeting-place for artists and literary men. Here Cooper,

1 rving, and Bryant associated with the American artists. To
these meetings may well be attributed, in part, at least, the
tone of purity and refinement, and the success of art in New
York.

When soon after Mr. Reed’s death it became necessar\' to
settle his estate and dispose of his pictures, a number of his
friends and beneficiaries, by a subscription among his busi-
ness associates, easily raised $13,000 and purchased the
entire collection. They next devised the plan of the New
York Gallery of the Fine Arts. From Theodore Allen, Mr.
Reed’s son-in-law, came the suggestion; Jonathan Sturges.
Mr. Reed’s partner, himself a collector of American paintings,
became its president; Thomas H. Faile was made treasurer.
The two last named contributed the funds to begin the under-
taking. Although in the list of trustees are the names of
Thomas S. Cummings and William Cullen Brj'ant, most of
the fifty trustees were wholesale grocers. On this account
Mr. James Gordon Bennett, of the New ^'ork Herald, when
approached for a favorable press notice, said bluntl\-, “M'h\‘.
these people know more about pork and molasses than
they do about art!”^

The organization was effected in 1844; the incorporation,
in 1845. In the Constitution the following Sections are of
especial interest:

“ Its object is to establish in the cit}' of New ^’ork a per-

'Durand, p. 128.

64

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

manent Gallery of Paintings, Statuary, and other Works of

Art.

“The payment of one dollar, and the subscription of this
Constitution shall constitute the person making such pay-
ment and subscription a member for life.

“ Each member shall receive a certificate of membership,
which shall entitle him to free admission to the Gallery for
life, whenever it is open.

“The certificates of membership shall not be transferable,

CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE NEW YORK GALLERY

and all rights conferred thereb}', shall attach solel}’ to the
person named therein, and shall expire with his life.

“The Trustess shall have no power either to create any
debt or liability on the part of the Association; or to sell,
exchange, or lend any of its works of art; or to do anything
by which any of its property can be encumbered; or to im-
pose any assessment on its members.”

According to this clause, a work of art once in the pos-
session of the Gallery must remain permanentl}' in the col-
lection.

For the first display of the paintings the National Academy
of Design lent its large exhibition room at the corner of

65

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Broadway and Leonard Street. The collection, although
it contained some works by the Old Masters — a F} t, two
Morlands, an Annibale Carracci, and several paintings de-
signated as Dutch, Flemish, or Italian School — showed a
marked preponderance of paintings by American artists of
Mr. Reed’s own period. Among them we note Cole’s series,
The Course of Empire; portraits of American presidents,
from life or from earlier portraits, by A. B. Durand; and
twelve paintings by George W. Flagg, a nephew of W’ashing-
ton Allston, Mr. Reed’s protege, who was enabled to study
abroad by Mr. Reed’s generosity. Durand’s W rath of Peter
Stuyvesant, which was in the collection, must have had in
those days a secondary interest, in addition to that occasioned
by its merit, for Stuyvesant was said to be a portrait of
Luman Reed. The catalogue contained one hundred and
seven entries. From its introduction we cull the follow-
ing;

“A Gallery of Art in a city, is a source of refinement; nay,
more, it is a stronghold of virtue. It opens a fountain of
pure and improving pleasure to the stranger, to the idler,
to the young, to our families, to our children. Call it a
lounge, if }'ou please; let it catch the idle hours or arrest
the weary step; yet idling and relaxation here, can hardly
fail to be improvement. Pictures of fair and spiritual
beauty, forms of majestic virtue, portraitures of heroism and
patriotism, shall lift the thoughts above their wonted range,
to nobleness and sanctity.”

.Meantime the municipal corporation was asked to grant
the use of the Rotunda,^ a building erected in 1817 on city
property at the northeast corner of the park, by John \’ander-
lyn for his panoramas, but now unoccupied. By dint of
bribery, much lobbying, and speeches by the aldermen, who
were duly coached for the occasion, the petition was granted.

'See p. 80.

66

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

on one condition, that the building should be vacated at any
time on due notice. So in 1845 the gallery was duly estab-
lished in its new quarters, which had been made over to suit
its purpose. An advertisement in the New York Tribune
for October 5th, 1846, reads thus:

“NEW YORK GALLERY of the Fine Arts — This insti-
tution, occupying the building known as the Rotunda in the
Park, is open daily from 9 a. m. until dark. On Monday and
Tuesday evenings the rooms are brilliantly lighted until
10 p. m.

Life membership one dollar. Single admission 25 cents.
The Public Schools admitted free on Saturday by making
arrangements with the doorkeeper.”

For about three years the Rotunda was occupied, but even
here the gallery was never successful financially. The
Trustees had ten thousand certificates of membership printed
in anticipation of a large demand, but with difficulty disposed
of a thousand by sale or gift. When the Common Council
ordered the Rotunda vacated, that the City might use it
for certain public offices, the gallery was removed to the
exhibition room of the National Academy of Design, where
for several years — until 1854, at least — it was open to the
public during the months between the Academy exhibitions.
At length Messrs. Sturges and Fade, who furnished finan-
cial backing, became weary of making up a deficiency each
year, and decided to close the affairs of the gallery. The
valuable collection was placed in the care of the Historical
Society in 1858.^

'See p. 38.

67

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

6. THE COOPER UNION EOR THE ADVANCEMENT
OE SCIENCE AND ART

CHARTERED IN 1859.

The interest in this institution, as in the New \'ork Galler}-
of Fine Arts, centers around the name of an individual, Peter
Cooper, a man whose dominating purpose throughout his
life was to provide free education for the working classes.
This aim gripped his thought even in his young manhood
when as an apprentice to a coachmaker his only capital con-
sisted of good health, an eagerness to work, and those quali-
ties of mind — a broad farsightedness and an extraordinary
inventive capacity — that were so apparent in his later
career. His own education was obtained from about six
weeks’ attendance at a country school and studying alone
evenings by the light of a tallow dip in a barn lent him by his
grandmother, Mrs. John Campbell, on her farm near City
Hall. His life furnishes a remarkable instance of a youthful
ambition that came to fulfilment. As means increased, his
enthusiastic interest in the welfare of the skilled laborer
did not diminish, but rather kept pace with his increasing
ability. For fifty years he held tenaciously to his purpose;
lot by lot he bought the property on which Cooper Union
stands; some time before the actual construction of the build-
ing he purchased the material and stored it on the site.

In 1859 he founded the first institution in this country for
the free education of the working classes. Students were
admitted in the order of application, but ever3’one before his
admission must state that he was obliged to earn a livelihood.
Thus the institution was, and still is, safeguarded for the
working classes. Mr. Cooper’s high moral and even relig-
ious purpose in founding this institution and the unbounded
pleasure he received from his act can be read in every line of

68

PETER COOPER

FROM A PHOTOGRAPH

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

his letter to the trustees accompanying the trust-deed, from
which two paragraphs are quoted:

“ My design is to establish this institution, in the hope that
unnumbered youth will here receive the inspiration of truth
in all its native power and beauty, and find in it a source of
perpetual pleasure to spread its transforming influence
throughout the world.

“ Believing in and hoping for such result, 1 desire to make
this institution contribute in every way to aid the efforts of
\outh to acquire useful knowledge, and to find and fill that
place in this community where their capacity and talents
can be usefully employed with the greatest possible advan-
tage to themselves and the community in which they live."

By the trust-deed Peter Cooper and Sarah, his wife, who
heartily concurred in his plans, conveyed to the Cooper Union
for the Advancement of Science and Art the block of ground
bounded northerly by Astor Place, easterly by Third Avenue,
southerly by Seventh Street, and westerly by Fourth Avenue,
with the building erected thereon, to be “forever devoted
to the instruction and improvement of the inhabitants of the
United States in practical science and art.”

Among the objects to which the revenues of the corpora-
tion were to be devoted, as enumerated in the Charter, three
especially concern us in tracing the history of the New York
institutions of art, and these we shall quote and then discuss
in order.

1. “Regular courses of instruction, at night, free to all
who shall attend the same, under the general regulations of
the trustees, on the application of science to the useful occu-
pations of life, on social and political science, meaning there-
by not merely the science of political economy, but the science
and philosophy of a just and equitable form of government,
based upon the fundamental law that nations and men should

70

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

do unto each other as they would be done by, and on such
other branches of knowledge as in the opinion of the Board
of Trustees will tend to improve and elevate the working
classes of the city of New York.”

Even from the early years of the institution, among the
subjects taught in this artisans’ night college have been
drawing (architectural, mechanical, and free-hand), modeling,
decorative designing, perspective, and studies from life. The
course in art has always been elementary, as no previous
training is required, but thorough. In 1910-11 there were
eleven hundred and thirty-four pupils enrolled in the
night art classes, with more than eleven hundred appli-
cants kept on the waiting list through lack of accommoda-
tions. Such men of distinction as Augustus Saint-Gaudens
and Frederick MacMonnies, among others, acquired their
early education in these night classes.

II. “The support and maintenance of a free reading-
room, of galleries of art, and of scientific collections, designed,
in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, to improve and in-
struct those classes of the inhabitants of the city of New York
whose occupations are such as to be calculated, in the opinion
of the said Board of Trustees, to deprive them of proper
recreation and instruction.”

The suggestion of establishing a free gallery of art was
acted on at once by the Trustees by assigning a suite of rooms
for this object, and depositing therein the Bryan Gallery,
and some other pictures lent by private individuals.

The first Annual Report, issued in i860, announces:

“The Trustees would rejoice if an effort could be made to
establish a permanent free gallery in the building, and in
that event they would undertake to arrange the upper hall
appropriately for its reception.”

The Fifth Annual Report records that 164,343 visitors

7'

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

entered the Gallery during the year, announces Mr. Brj'an’s
gift of his collection to The New York Historical Society,
and regrets that “the public will soon be compelled to go
elsewhere in order to get admission to a free gallery of art.”
Again the Trustees suggest,

“Whoever will contribute to provide a permanent free
gallery of art in this Institution will be doing a great service
to the public, and entitle himself to be called the friend of the
working classes, who, too poor to buy pictures, are created
rich enough to take in all their beauty and worth.”

111. “The maintenance of a school for the instruction of
respectable females in the arts of design, and, in the discretion
of the Board of Trustees, to afford to respectable females
instruction in such other art or trade as will tend to furnish
them suitable employment.”

This special provision for “females” does not mean that
women were excluded from any other course, for from the first
all privileges were extended irrespective of sex; it does mean
that a School of Design for Women, organized a year before
the incorporation of Cooper Union by a private society for
the purpose of giving art instruction at a moderate cost, but
suffering from lack of means, was made an integral part of
the new institution. To this department “amateurs” might
be admitted for pay, so long as industrial pupils were not
thereby excluded. This rule has become a dead letter; there
is no chance for amateurs when so many pupils apply who
cannot afford even a minimum payment. The benevolent
ladies who established the earlier school became, under the
new regime, an advisory council whose connection with the
school has been very intimate and exceedingly valuable.
Mrs. Abram S. Hewitt, a daughter of Peter Cooper, has been
a member of this council for over fifty years, and Mrs. Joseph
H. Choate for nearly half a century. Dr W'illiam Rimmer,.

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

of Boston, was given sole charge of the school in 1866. His
teaching was instructive through his remarkable knowledge
of anatomy and inspiring through his own personality. His
methods were unique, as was his reputation as a sculptor,
for he executed nude statues without models. His own
works, but six in number, are a Head of Saint Stephen, a
Falling Gladiator, a granite statue of Alexander Hamilton,
an Osiris, a Dying Centaur, and the Fighting Lions. After
Dr. Rimmer’s term of service, Mrs. Robert Carter was made
Principal and had charge of the school for over twenty years.
The later directors have been R. Swain Gifford and Frederick
Dielman, both academicians of the National Academy of
Design. The faculty has included many of the foremost
American artists. One of the earlier reports gives an enrol-
ment of two hundred women as students; the latest, three
hundred and sixty-two, with over a hundred on the waiting-
list.

Fortunately Peter Cooper was permitted during twenty-
five years of serene old age to witness the results of his own
beneficence and to hear words of grateful appreciation from
the lips of many of his boys, the Cooper Union students.
Until three days before his death, he gave his personal atten-
tion to the details of school supervision, visited the classes,
attended the lectures, planned for future improvements, in
short, lived for the institution he had founded. One of his
plans, to use the roof of Cooper Union as a recreation ground
and social center, has never been carried out; but that it was
a workable scheme is proved by its successful operation in
some of the New York public schools.

Another plan, in his mind from the first, was the establish-
ment of a museum. This he frequently spoke of, but he saw
no opportunity to accomplish his desire during his lifetime.
In the letter accompanying the Trust Deed, from which we
have already quoted, are found the following sentences: “ In

73

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

order most effectually to aid and encourage the efforts of
youth to obtain useful knowledge, 1 have provided the main
floor of the large hall on the third story for a reading-room,
literary exchange, and scientific collections. . . . And

when a sufficient collection of the works of art, science, and
nature can be obtained, 1 propose that glass cases shall be
arranged around the walls of the gallery of the said room,
forming alcoves around the entire floor for the preservation
of the same.”

The granddaughters of Peter Cooper, also believing that a
museum is one of the most important parts of a scheme of
instruction in art, in 1896 opened to the public a Museum for
the Arts of Decoration, the first in America, intended not
only for the scholars of the Day and Night Art Schools, but
for artisans generally. The plan of this museum is not on
the exact lines of Peter Cooper’s thought; it is, however, in
accord with his aim to benefit the working classes, for it deals
with ornament as applied to all the trades. As one report
states, “It is a working laboratory for the varied artistic
trades, ... an industrial art object reference alcove.”
I'he first steps towards this museum were taken as early as
1889 when Mr. and Mrs. Abram S. Hewitt presented a large
collection of casts of the best French architectural and inte-
rior decorative motives as a nucleus for the coming Museum.
Since then many friends of Cooper Union have helped most
generously in adding to the collections.

The arrangement of the Museum is that of historical
sequence, thus showing development of style. The space is
divided into alcoves, each containing objects of a particular
country and period. The labels are made simple and instruc-
tive. Encyclopedic scrap-books of pictures, photographs,
drawings, color sketches, grouped historically and labeled
clearly, furnish supplementary material. Other ways of
making the collection of practical value have been success-

74

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

fully tried; lecturers and teachers have been permitted to
bring classes for talks before the objects themselves, and
duplicates in the collection have been lent to other smaller
museums. In these various ways the Museum has proved
helpful to those for whom it was specially designed, and *
through them to the community.

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM
FROM AN ENGRAVING BY SIDNEY L. SMITH
AFTER THE DRAWING BY A. j. DAVIS

INSTITUTIONS OF MINOR IMPORTANCE

Besides the incidents connected with the prominent organ-
izations referred to above, there are certain other episodes in
the history of art in New York of interest to the antiquarian,
though they do not so vitally affect the progress of art. No
complete account of these is either possible or desirable here,
but a brief mention of a few may prove entertaining.

The American Museum of John Scudder. Scudder
started life as an itinerant organ-grinder, and during his
wanderings he collected the nucleus of his exhibit.^ That
'Francis, Handbook of New York, 1853.

75

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

his museum became the successor, as it were, to the Tam-
many Museum, we have already learned. The exhibit was
opened in 1810 at 21 Chatham Street, but was removed in
1816 to the west end of the New York Institution, where the
Corporation had granted it free accommodation for ten years
with the other scientific institutions of the city, for such it
was rated in its day. Eight years later John Scudder built
an edifice for his museum at the corner of Broadway and Ann
Street, where the St. Paul Building now stands.

The best portion of his exhibit is advertised in A Concise
Description of the City of New York, published in 1814:

“Scudder’s Collection of Naval Paintings — The indus-
trious proprietor of the Museum has also opened a very hand-
some collection of paintings, representative of the many
recent victories which the U. S. have obtained over the
British on the ocean. They are executed on an extensive
scale, and are by no means destitute of merit. The second
story of the Commercial building opposite the park is occu-
pied for this exhibition. In the evening the apartment is
brilliantly lighted, and the visitors are enlivened by music.
The price of admittance is twenty-five cents.” Perhaps its
worst collection was noted by a frank English traveler who
called the wax works contained therein “prodigies of ab-
surdity and bad taste.” One of Mr. Scudder’s attractions
was a band that played popular airs in an outer balcon\- to
draw people within the doors; therefore Halleck’s lines;

“And music ceases when it rains
“In Scudder’s balcony.”

Similar to the American Museum in aim and character, in
other words, a commercial undertaking, was Peale’sMuseum
AND Gallery of the Eine Arts, sometimes known as the
New York Museum, conducted by Reuben Peale from 1825
at 252 Broadway, opposite the park. The merits of this

76

SHOWING PEAI.e’s MUSEUM (TO 1 H E LEFT) SCUDDEr’s FIRST MUSEUM AND
THE ACADEMY OF ARTS (tO THE RIGHT)

FROM AN UNPUBLISHED WATER-COLOR DRAWING B'i' A. J. DAVIS, 1826
IN THE POSSESSION OF WILLIAM LORING ANDREWS

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

popular place of entertainment, where eight daily papers
were provided for the use of the visitors,^ are loudly heralded
in the daily press. One announcement in particular attracts
attention as perhaps the first time that Egyptian mummies
were introduced to American society:

“EGYPTIAN MUMMlES^ — The scientific and curious
are respectfully informed that the two Mummies lately re-
ceived will be examined and partially unwrapped, by several
of the most respectable physicians of this city at one o’clock
on Eriday, third instant, in the Lecture Room of Peale’s
Museum. N B. On this occasion, children cannot be
admitted.”^ A subsequent account assures us that these
respectable physicians treated the mummies with due
courtesy.

Both these museums were absorbed by Phineas T. Barnum
when in 1841 he became proprietor of the American Museum
and continued at the corner of Broadway and Ann Street to
provide varied kinds of entertainment from seeing General
Tom Thumb, Jr., to hearing Jenny Lind. One advertise-
ment in 1842 shows the wide range of these attractions,
“Also exhibiting the facsimile of the great picture of Christ
Healing the Sick in the Temple, by Benjamin West, Esq.,
The Albino Lady; and 500,000 curiosities.” Barnum’s
museum was burned down July 13, 1865. He did not re-
build at the same place, and the site was taken by James
Gordon Bennett for the publication of the New "^'ork Herald.
In fact, the Herald was here published until 1893 when it
removed to Herald Square.

Browere’s Gallery of Busts and Statues. This under-
taking, while conducted for profit — the admittance was
twenty-five cents — was apparently the expression of some-

‘New York Evening Post, .March 6, 1826.

2New York Evening Post, .March 1, 1826.

78

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

what higher aims than either Scudder’s or Peale’s Museum.
John 1. Browere, a sign-painter who later became a portrait-
painter and sculptor, had a studio in the rear of his residence,
31 5 Broadway, where he took the bust of many a gentleman
of note. In his Gallery he is said to have been encouraged
by Jefferson, Adams, Lafayette, and all the famous men of
the day.^ “The object of this institution,” says a notice
printed in 1828, “is to hand down to posterity the features
and forms of American personages, as they actually were at
the period of the execution of the likenesses by Mr. Browere.
Among the number of his busts are the originals of Washing-
ton, Franklin, Paul Jones, and Jefferson by Houdon of
France, who has been acknowledged the most eminent of his
profession in Europe.”^

Old Paff’s Gallery. “ Michael Paff, Esq., an industri-
ous and successful collector of paintings,”^ as Durand calls
him, whose specialty was the Old Masters, opened a gallery
in 1811 for the sale of paintings. He occupied at one time
a part of the site of the present Astor House, 221 Broadway;
at another, premises on Wall Street formerly occupied by the
Custom House. In 1817 his collection was said to consist
of upwards of three hundred original paintings and sketches
and two thousand etchings and engravings. One of his
advertisements offers great inducement for wholesale attend-
ance, “A single admission, 25 cents. Subscribers, 3 dollars
per annum; a lady and gentleman 4 dollars; and a whole
family, 8 dollars for the same period.”

This eccentric old picture dealer had ingenious ways of
establishing the genuineness of his treasures. Perchance his
tribe is not entirely extinct. For example, he is said to have

'Charles Burr Todd, In Olde New York, p. 36-37.

-A. T. Goodrich, Picture of N. Y. and Stranger’s Guide to the Commercial
Metropolis of the U. S.

®John Durand, Life and Times of A. B. Durand, p. 66.

79

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

claimed that a small Last Supper was by Michelangelo be-
cause the pavement of the room shown in the painting con-
tained a row of stones equal in number to the letters of the
name Buonarroti. He purchased for very small sums pictures
that after cleaning and restoring sold for goodly amounts.
What one day was only a landscape, artist unknown, was
transformed the next day into a composition by Correggio,
and blossomed the third day into a Van Dyck, duly cleaned
and varnished, with a glass in front. Its price, meantime,
had risen correspondingly.

John Vanderlyn’s Panoramas in the Rotunda. The
prominence of John Vanderlyn among early American artists
gives sufficient reason for a rather full account of his unfor-
tunate enterprise. In Europe, where he had traveled and
studied, he had seen the success of panoramas and decided to
avail himself of the current interest in them to exhibit in New
^'ork City one of Versailles. By way of preparation, he spent
several months there making sketches, and after the peace of
1815 returned with them to New York, \ccording to Wil-
son’s Memorial History of New York, these were not the
.earliest productions of the sort in the city, for in 1795 a
Panorama of London as seen from Blackfriar’s Bridge was
exhibited in Greenwich Street by William Winstanle\-, the
English artist who painted it.'

In 1817 upon Vanderlyn’s petition, the Corporation granted
him the use for nine years with peppercorn rent of a lot of
land on City Hall Park fronting on Chambers Street and
adjacent to the east end of the New York Institution. On
this he erected a building suitable for exhibition purposes,
with the condition that at the end of nine \’ears the structure

Mn 1788 this kind of exhibition had been introduced to the public of Edin-
burgh by Robert Barker, and not till nine years later was the first panorama
produced in Paris by our own countryman, Robert Fulton. — The Circus,
p. 97.

80

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

was to become the property of the city. This building, erected
by subscription, was known as the Rotunda, and was of cir-
cular form, fifty-three feet in diameter, and forty feet in
height, with a Pantheon-shaped dome and a skylight. Here
were exhibited panoramic views of the Palace and Garden of

THE ROTUNDA AND THE NEW YORK INSTITUTION
FROM A WOOD ENGRAVING BY C. BURTON

V'ersailles — Vanderlyn’s own work — Paris, Athens, The
City of Mexico, The City and Lake of Geneva, and The
Battles of Waterloo, Lodi, and that at the gates of Paris.
Here also were shown Vanderlyn’s paintings, including his
best works, the Marius among the Ruins of Carthage, which
obtained for him in Paris the Napoleon Gold Medal, when
twelve hundred paintings by European artists were exhibited,
and which, it is stated, Napoleon wished to buy for the
Louvre, and the Ariadne, now in the Pennsylvania Academy
of Fine Arts.

8i

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

The records of the Common Council from 1817 to 1829
speak eloquently of the struggle John Vanderlyn was having
to meet his financial obligations. As early as 1824 he had
assigned the lease of the lot to the trustees of the subscribers,
and they were petitioning for the right to turn the lease over
to the Philharmonic Society,^ who would pay them for the
use of the building. This petition, however, was not granted.
In 1829 during Vanderlyn’s temporary absence from the
city, the Corporation resorted to summary measures to
remove him from the Rotunda, even though he petitioned
for a renewal of the lease and several of the subscribers sent
in a petition to the same effect.

At the time Vanderlyn was seeking a renewal of the lease
he issued a circular entitled, To the Subscribers of the Ro-
tunda, Friends and Patrons to the Liberal Arts, which puts
his position plainly, if a bit plaintivel}-. In fact, the wailing
note occurs frequently in Vanderlyn’s correspondence. Even
when he was under contract with the American Academy and
engaged at a stipulated salary, he gave frequent expression
to his financial difficulties. His present complaint reads,
“ My plans were, however, thwarted b\' the unfortunate
pecuniary embarrassments of the Rotunda, arising from the
costs of the building exceeding so greatly the sum first esti-
mated, and which was but then discovered, owing to mis-
management and misconduct of the agent. Eight thousand
dollars was the calculation of the cost of the building. Had
$10,000 sufficed (which sum has actually been paid towards
it), there can be no doubt but that the Rotunda would have
prospered. Had the small succor of a few hundred dollars
been lent me at the critical period . . . there can be no

doubt but that the institution would ... ere this have

‘The Philharmonic Society here referred to is not the present Philhar-
monic Society, as this was not founded until 1842, but an earlier organization
that existed from 1824 to about 1828, when it was succeeded by the .Musical
Fund Society.

82

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

discharged the debts due on the building, and been in pos-
session of a series of Panorama pictures, the merits of which
had been fully tested by the distinguished approbation which
had been bestowed upon them in London.”

In May, 1830, an effort was made to procure again for
Vanderlyn the use of the Rotunda. A petition to theCorpora-
tion signed by Cadwallader D. Golden, Richard Varick, John
Ferguson, and other influential patrons urged a renewal of
the lease and suggested that the creditors should receive a
part of the exhibition receipts until their claims were met.

According to a pamphlet by a friend of Vanderlyn’s, which
he called by the inordinately long title, A Review of the Bio-
graphical Sketch of John Vanderlyn published by William
Dunlap in his History of the Arts of Design with Some Addi-
tional Notices respecting Mr. Vanderlyn as an Artist, by a
friend of the Artist, Mr. Vanderlyn had received every assur-
ance from the mayor (in 1817) and influential members of
the Board that an extension of the lease would be granted if
the institution answered public expectation. The same
authority records that a subsequent corporation finally set-
tled with Vanderlyn for ^3,000, payable in two equal
instalments.

The Rotunda was fitted up in 1829 for the Court of Sessions
and used later for the Marine Court. In 1834 the Naturaliza-
tion Office was there. After the great fire of 1835, it became
temporarily a post office, apparently until 1845, when, as
will be recalled, the New York Gallery of the Fine Arts was
permitted to occupy the building for a “rent of one dollar per
year, during the pleasure of the Common Council.” Thus
the edifice reverted for about three years to a use similar to
that for which it was built. Before July 31, 1848, however,
the New York Gallery must have vacated the building, for
then the Board of Aldermen appropriated two thousand
dollars “for the purpose of defraying the expense of convert-

83

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

ing the building known as the Rotunda, in the Park, for
public offices.” The offices referred to were those of the
Croton Aqueduct Board and the Almshouse Commissioner.
At this time the Rotunda was much larger than Vanderlyn’s
original structure, for two-story extensions to the north and
south had been added, the latter, called the propylaeum,
having a portico and four Doric columns. Finally the re-
moval of the Rotunda was included in the program laid out
in 1870 by the new Board of Park Commissioners for the
improvement of the parks.

The Old Sketch Club or The XXI. The personnel of
this club, established in 1829, another offshoot of the Draw-
ing Association, included authors and men of science as well
as artists. In 1831, for example, among its members were
thirteen artists; several literary men, including Bryant, R.
G. Sands, and John Howard Payne, best known as the writer
of Home Sweet Home; and several whose sympathies were
with literature and art, as Gulian C. Verplanck who, with
Bryant and Sands, for three years edited The Talisman, an
annual that furnished an outlet for the talent of the best
writers, and Hamilton Fish, afterwards president of the New
York Historical Society. Later the names of Luman Reed
and Rev. Dr. Bellows, the pastor of All Souls’ Church for
forty-three years, were added. Of this membership John
Durand says, “These men collectively may be styled the
fountain head of the subsequent prosperity of local art.
The start the (American) school (of art) obtained at this
period is due to the men who belonged to this club.”^

The Sketch Club, inaugurated at the suggestion of C. C.
Ingham, who became its first president, was formed for three
purposes:

1. “The encouragement of social and friendly feelings
'John Durand, Life and Times of .A. B. Durand, pp. 97, 90.

84

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

among the members by occasional meetings.” Every Friday
evening the club met at one another’s houses. Of these
meetings notice was given in the newspapers in a form that
mystified the uninitiated. For example, S. C.; S. F. B. M.
meant that the Sketch Club met that evening with Samuel
F. B. Morse.

II. “Mutual improvement in drawing.” Each evening
one hour was devoted to drawing on a subject assigned by
the host, who was privileged to keep the sketches. One
announcement reads, “The subject selected is the scene
at the Fountain of Life in Boyuca, by the late Mr. Sands,
vide 2d vol. Tales of the Glauber Spa. If preferred by
any of the members, the opening scene of that story is also
suggested.”

III. “ The production of an annual.”

To prevent an extravagant rivalry in entertaining, the
members agreed to limit the refreshments to dried fruit,
crackers, milk, and honey. According to tradition, one
evening a wealthy member violated the rule by setting before
the club a supper. The members in protest declared they
would eat standing and thus keep the letter of the law, as
sitting down to supper was prohibited; but soon all forgot
their scruples in the enjoyment of the hour.

Some amusing discussions of the Sketch Club have
been recorded.”^ For example, Bryant upheld “as a sage
notion that the perfection of bathing is to jump head-
foremost into a snowbank,” and the question, “ Does heat
expand the days in summer?” was debated with mock
seriousness.

Out of this organization, in 1847, grew the Century Club,
an offshoot, not a successor, a result of the difficulty of ad-
mission into the Sketch Club, which on that account was
called The XXI.

'John Durand, Prehistoric Notes of the Century Club.

85

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

The International Art Union. This enterprise, begun
in 1849 by Messrs. Goupil, Vibert & Co. at 289 Broadway,
was conducted on a plan similar to that of the American Art
Union, except that its purpose was to introduce “through
the medium of a perpetual Free Gallery, the Chefs-d’oeuvre
of the European School of Art,” not the American. One new
detail is given in the following quotation: “A sufficient sum
will always be set apart for the purpose of sending one Ameri-
can student to Europe for the term of two years, at the ex-
pense of the International Art Union. Students of Art from
any part of the Union may participate in a public exposition
which will take place annually in the City of New York, from
which the selection will be made for the term of study abroad.”
Like many another similar enterprise, this union was short-
lived, closing its affairs in 1863.

The Dusseldorf Gallery. The Diisseldorf Gallery,
established in 1849 in a hall over the Church of the Divine
Unity in Broadway, between Spring and Prince Streets, was
collected by Mr. John G. Boker, who resided in Dusseldorf,
Germany, for twenty years, and then was Prussian Consul
in New York. The gallery was so called because it was filled
with the works of the Dusseldorf artists, a contemporart’
German school, who drew their inspiration from literature
and history and painted with great exactitude of finish.
Those here represented included Hasenclever, Schrodter,
Camphausen, both Oswald and Andreas Achenbach, and
Leutze, who from training and residence was a Diisseldorfian,
though he is counted to-day as an American artist. Mr.
Durand refers to the establishment of this gallery as the first
appearance in New York of foreign art on a large scale, the
beginning of what he terms “the eclipse of American art.”^
A catalogue of the collection, published in 1851 b)’ William

"^John Durand, Life and Times of A. B. Durand, p. 192.

86

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

C. Bryant & Co., contains most copious press notices regard-
ing the different pictures. To indicate their style and char-
acter one quotation will suffice: “The picture of the
highest aim here — The Adoration of the Magi, by Stein-
bruck — has the merit of being in conception and execution
worthy of its subject and to say this is to say much. Too
often do we see a sacred subject painfully profaned by the

THE DUSSELDORF GALLERY
FROM A WOOD ENGRAVING IN THE COSMOPOLITAN
ART ASSOCIATION BULLETIN, BY N. ORR

extravagance or imbecility of the artist, and even in the works
of some of the great ones of the past, the imposing influence
of a grand conception is not unfrequently weakened by the
obtrusion of ludicrous anachronisms and degrading triviality.
. . . The composition of Steinbruck’s Adoration, its

general purity and solemnity of tone, and its admirable man-
agement of light and shadow, raise it to high eminence in
the lofty range of art to which it aspires. — Courier and
Enquirer.”

Elihu Vedder in his Digressions gives a somewhat different

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

impression of the value and use of the Diisseldorf Gallery.
He says, “The Gallery had been called the ‘Lovers’ Tryst’
from the fact that an indifferent public left ‘the banquet hall
deserted’ or almost so, and that the pictures on projecting
screens made secluded spots of which fond lovers soon availed
themselves.”

In June, 1857, an organization called The Cosmopolitan
Art Association^ purchased the Diisseldorf Collection for
$180,000, and instituted free admission to the gallery for its
members. This arrangement was not permanent, however.
By 1859 the Diisseldorf Gallery is referred to as a separate
institution, and in i860 the Diisseldorf Gallery and Jarves
Collection of Old Masters of the Italian School are advertised
as attractions at the Institute of Fine Arts, 625 Broadway.

After over a decade of exhibition and sale this valuable col-

*The Cosmopolitan Art Association, an organization on the Art Union
plan, having Sandusky, Ohio, as its headquarters, was founded in June, 1834,
chartered in May, 1855, ^^d, as the Cosmopolitan Art journal of September,
1839, states, “has ever since been like the ‘Thane of Cawdor, a prosperous
gentleman.’” It combined the encouragement of the fine arts with the dis-
semination of wholesome literature, as each member was entitled to a sub-
scription to one of several standard magazines as well as a ticket in the
annual distribution of statuary and paintings. As with the .American Art
Union and the International Art Union, this association published a journal,
of which the first issue announces grandiloquently, “ It will be a Repository
of Literary and Art News and Gossip — will contain Literary and .Art Dis-
quisitions, popularizing what is too abstruse, too learned for the majority of
readers — will contain the spirit of American Art, as embodied in the Cata-
logues of the Art Galleries of the institution of which it is an exponent, in an
extensive correspondence, in contributions from eminent and most worthy
minds, in delineations from life and in pictures from nature — will become
the patron of Taste, and seek by every laudable means to mould and direct
that quality of heart and mind aright.” This Association in its advertisements
tries to disarm criticism by stating, “Those who understand the Plan and
Objects of this Association cannot fail to see that the Institution is not a
lottery in any usual, legal, or moral sense. W’e associate for the promotion
of the Fine Arts on an entirely original plan. There is no game of chance;
each Member receives a full equivalent in current literature, the net profit
on which creates a fund with which choice Works of Art are purchased and
distributed annually.”

88

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

lection, numbering one hundred and seven pictures, was sold
December i8, 1862, at an auction largely attended by artists
and connoisseurs, and brought, it is said, about $45,000.

Crystal Palace Exhibition. This famous exhibition
was held in 1853 in the Crystal Palace built at 428 Street and
Sixth Avenue in imitation of the Crystal Palace in London
and totally destroyed by fire five years later. To us the

THE CRYSTAL PALACE
FROM A COLORED LITHOGRAPH

building seems huge and ugly, but it seemed very grand to
one person of the day at least. Mary L. Booth in her His-
tory of the City of New York describes it thus: “The fairy-
like Greek cross of glass, bound together with withes of iron,
with its graceful dome, its arched naves, and its broad aisles
and galleries, filled with choice productions of art and manu-
factures gathered from the most distant parts of the earth —
quaint old armor from the Tower of London, gossamer
fabrics from the looms of Cashmere, Sevres china. Gobelin
tapestry, Indian curiosities, stuffs, jewelry, musical instru-
ments, carriages and machinery of home and foreign manu-

89

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

facture, Marochetti’s colossal equestrian statue of Washing-
ton, Kiss’s Amazon, Thorwaldsen’s Christ and the Apostles,
Powers’ Greek Slave, and a host of other works of art
besides — will long be remembered as the most tasteful orna-
ment that ever graced the metropolis.”^

The collection of paintings and sculpture, numbering six
hundred and seventy-five, though very creditable, did not
receive the recognition it deserved, possibly because it was
only a part of a larger exhibition. One editor of the day
draws the following amusing comparison, suggested perhaps
by the queer jumble of exhibits: “We grow sculptors as
naturally as we grow Indian corn, and it is no wonder that a
taste for their works should be indigenous.” In an indirect
way this apparently unappreciated exhibition affected the
course of history of our Museum, for one man intimatel\’
connected with the inception of The .Metropolitan .Museum
of Art, Professor George F. Comfort, attributed to this ex-
hibition his first impression of institutions of art and of the
beauty and power of sculpture

In the Official Catalogue, among a host of names predomi-
nantly of the Diisseldorf School, are found works by Winter-
halter, DeVries, Vernet, and Caroline Smith, a very few
Americans, particularly W. S. Mount, and over twenty water
colors by members of the New York Watercolor Society.
One section of the catalogue contains works lent b}’ Joseph
Cristadoro, Esq., a truly imposing array of great names, such
as Solomon and Jacob Ruysdael, David Teniers, Antonio
Tempesta, Carlo Maratti, and Andrea del Sarto.

The Metropolitan Fair Picture Gallery. This fair,
held in the spring of 1864 at the Fourteenth Street Armory in
aid of the United States Sanitary Commission, that is, for
the benefit of the sick and wounded of the National .Arm\-,
brought in over a million dollars. The plans for it were made

*Vol. VI, p. 752.

90

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

largely at the Union League Club, itself a child of the United
States Sanitary Commission and its membership ardent and
active supporters thereof. Among those who generously
lent their artistic treasures are the names of W. T. Blodgett,
A. M. Cozzens, John Taylor Johnston, R. M, Olyphant,
Marshal! O. Roberts, and Jonathan Sturges, men who owned
private collections largely American in character. The cata-

THE METROPOLITAN SANITARY FAIR BUILDINGS
FROM A WOOD ENGRAVING

logue of paintings to be sold there at auction has one hundred
and ninety-six numbers, while the complete catalogue of the
art exhibition includes three hundred and sixty works of art.
These catalogues illustrate the interest in modern European
art which had been developing side by side with the patronage
of American art. About one-third of the artists represented
were modern European artists, for example, Bouguereau,
Breton, Couture, Gerome, Meissonier, Rousseau, andTroyon.
The Committee of the Fine Arts contains among others
the following familiar names : Mrs. Jonathan Sturges, Mr. and
Mrs. William T. Blodgett, A. M. Cozzens, Marshall O.

Q1

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Roberts, E. Leutze, W. Whittredge, and Daniel Hunting-
ton.

With the Metropolitan Fair Gallery this account of the
history of art in New York before the establishment of The
Metropolitan Museum of Art may well end, for this fair
with its thousands of surprised and delighted visitors, evi-
denced to many people “the need, desirableness, and prac-
ticability of a permanent and free gallery of art.” The
statement in Henry T. Tuckerman’s Book of the Artists,
which was copyrighted in 1867, may stand for a contempo-
raneous opinion of the status of art.

“Within the last few years the advance of public taste and
the increased recognition of art in this country, have been
among the most interesting phenomena of the times. A score
of eminent and original landscape painters have achieved the
highest reputations; private collections of pictures have be-
come a new social attraction [to the collectors already men-
tioned might be added the names of Robert Hoe, later a
patron of the Museum, and James Lenox and R. L. Stuart,
whose collections are now in the New ^’ork Public Library] ;
exhibitions of works of art have grown lucrative and popular;
buildings expressly for studios have been erected; sales of
pictures by auction have produced unprecedented sums of
money; art shops are a delectable feature of Broadway; artist-
receptions are favorite reunions of the winter; and a splendid
edifice has been completed devoted to the Academy, and
owing its erection to public munificence — -while a school of
design is in successful operation at the Cooper Institute. Nor
is this all; at Rome, Paris, Florence, and Dusseldorf, as well
as at Chicago, Albany, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Boston, and
New York, there are native ateliers, schools, or collections,
the fame whereof has raised our national character and en-

92

EARLY INSTITUTIONS OF ART IN NEW YORK

hanced our intellectual resources as a people. These and
many other facts indicate too plainly to be mistaken, that
the time has come to establish permanent and standard gal-
leries of art, on the most liberal scale, in our large cities.”^

'H. T. Tuckerman, Book of the Artists, pp. ii, 12.

93

CHAPTER 1

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

JOHN TAYLOR JOHNSTON
FROM THE PAINTING BY
LEON JOSEPH FLORENTIN BONNAT

CHAPTER I

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

1869-1871

The introductory chapter has given ample proof that
by the end of the Civil War the time for theestablish-
ment of a permanent gallery of art in New York had
fully come and that the people of culture were united in their
recognition of this fact, though they might differ as to the
practicable means to secure the desired end. For example.
The New York Historical Society wished to utilize for that
purpose the Arsenal in the Park, while the editor of the Even-
ing Post, on January 17, 1867, in an article entitled A Free
Gallery for New York, laid the burden of responsibility
for such an undertaking upon the National Academy of
Design, then occupying its Fourth Avenue building.

At this juncture John Jay, a man ceaseless in good
works, best known at this time perhaps by his active opposi-
tion to slavery, gave an address before a company of
Americans at a Fourth of July dinner in Paris in 1866 that
was destined to initiate the Museum movement. The
London Times of July 7, i866, in a letter from Paris gives the
following pleasing account of this significant occasion:

“The 90th anniversary of the National Independence of
the United States was celebrated on Wednesday at the Pre
Catalan. The fete was organized through the active agency
of some patriotic gentlemen. The usual attractions of the
Pre Catalan were much increased by a generous contri-

99

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

bution of plants and flowers by the Prefect of the Seine from
the city conservatories. Large tents were arranged for the
accommodation of those present — one for dancing, two for
refreshments, and one as a vestiaire. They were profusely
decorated with American and French flags united in Jais-
ceaux, and in the dancing-tent were suspended portraits of
Washington and of the Emperor of the French. Among the
invited guests were Mr. Bigelow, Minister of the United
States, and his family; Mr. Fox, Assistant Secretary of War;
Captain Beaumont (of the Monitor Miantonomoh, now lying
at Cherbourg) together with several of his officers; Mr. N.
M. Beckwith, U. S. Commissioner to the Universal Exhi-
bition of 1867; the Rev. Drs. Hitchcock, Thompson (of the
Broadway Tabernacle), Eldridge, Cummins, Davenport,
and Smith. . . . Refreshments of various kinds were

furnished during the afternoon and at half-past 5 o’clock a
repast was laid out in the refreshment-tent, after which the
chairman of the committee, Mr. Tucker, in a few pertinent
observations, reminded his countrymen present of the char-
acter of the day which they had assembled to celebrate, and
called upon Mr. John Jay, of New York, for an address.
This was responded to, that gentleman delivering a livel}' and
amusing speech on ‘the American invasion of the Old
World’.”

Mr. Jay, in a letter to General Cesnola, dated August 30,
1890, gives a more definite statement of his words and their
immediate result. ‘‘The simple suggestion that ‘it was time
for the American people to lay the foundation of a National
Institution and Gallery of Art and that the American gentle-
men then in Europe were the men to inaugurate the plan’
commended itself to a number of the gentlemen present, who
formed themselves into a committee for inaugurating the
movement.” This committee subsequenth' addressed a me-
morial to the Union League Club of New York, urging the

100

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

importance of early measures for the foundation of a
permanent national gallery of art and museum of historical
relics, in which works of high character in painting and
sculpture and valuable historical memorials might be
collected, properly displayed, and safely preserved for the
benefit of the people at large, ” and suggesting that the Union
League Club might “properly institute the best means for
promoting this great object.’’^

Meantime Mr. Jay had come home and had been elected
President of the Union League Club. Therefore the letter
prompted by his suggestion came up for his own official
notice. At a meeting of the club, it was referred to its Art
Committee, which at this time consisted of George P. Put-
nam, the founder of G. P. Putnam & Sons; John F. Kensett,
well-known as a landscape painter; j. O. A. Ward, whose
statues have a deservedly high place in New York, for ex-
ample, his Indian Hunter and Pilgrim in Central Park, his
Henry Ward Beecher in Brooklyn, his colossal statue of
Washington on the steps of the Sub-Treasury Building, and
the statues in the pediment of the New York Stock Exchange;
Worthington Whittredge, a painter of landscapes, whose
Evening in the Woods in the Museum collection may be con-
sidered characteristic of his forest interiors; George A. Baker,
among the best portrait painters of his time, who often
exhibited at the Academy Exhibitions; Vincent Colyer, who
painted in New York until the war, and at its close settled in
Darien, Connecticut ; and Samuel P. Avery, who as art dealer
and collector had a large experience in the world of art, and
whose untiring devotion to the Museum through many sub-
sequent years it will be our pleasure to record in these pages-.
These gentlemen, so well fitted for their task, although, as;
they themselves acknowledged, at first sight “disposed to
think that their legitimate duties were bounded by the walls
* A Metropolitan Art-Museum in the City of New York, N. Y., 1869, p. 3.

lOI

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

of the dub, gave to the problem their serious attention.
At a meeting of the Club, held October 14, 1869, they re-
ported at length, recommending an early meeting to which
members of the club and such of their friends as might be
interested in the subject should be invited and at which
Prof. George F. Comfort of Princeton had consented to
speak. The object of this gathering should be “simply to
introduce the subject and to elicit a free expression of opinion
in regard to the expediency of further action, and as to what
shape it should take. This report, which was adopted and
carried into action, contains a discussion of ways and means
from which we quote the following sentences;

“ It will be said that it would be folly to depend upon cur
governments, either municipal or national, for judicious sup-
port or control in such an institution ; for our governments, as
a rule, are utterly incompetent for the task. On the other
hand, to place the sole control of such efforts in the hands of
any body of artists alone, or even in the National Academy,
might not be wise. Neither would an institution be likely
to meet the requirements if founded solely by an>' one indi-
vidual, however ample might be the provision in money —
for it would probably prove sadly deficient in other things.

“An amply endowed, thoroughly constructed art insti-
tution, free alike from bungling government officials and
from the control of a single individual, whose mistaken and
untrained zeal may lead to superficial attempts and certain
failures; an institution which will command the confidence of
judicious friends of art, and especiall\- of those who have
means to strengthen and increase its value to the city and to
the nation, is surely worth consideration in a club like this.

' A Metropolitan Art-Museum in the City of New York, p. 3.

2 Ihid. p. 6.

* I hid. p 5.

102

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

The Honorable John Jay, as he had become by his appoint-
ment as ambassador to Austria, had meantime gone to his
post in Vienna, and so could not participate actively in the
proceedings. He was created an Honorary Feilow for Life
in 1888, as a recognition of his having suggested the move-
ment for the establishment of the Museum.

The work of the Art Committee of the Union League
Club was but just begun when it had rendered its report
to the Club. An active month was spent in preparing for
the meeting to be held November 23, 1869, in the Theatre
of the Club on Twenty-sixth Street. Invitations were
sent to the members of the Union League Club, the
National Academy of Design and other artists, the
Institute of Architects, the New York Historical Society,
the Century, Manhattan, and other clubs, and to
citizens who might take an interest in the project.
Prominent men were asked to act as officers on this
occasion, that the undertaking might be favorably launched.
The Committee wisely strove in all these preliminaries that
the gathering should be recognized as a meeting not “of any
one club, or society, or party, or organization of any kind”,
but “composed of representatives of the various bodies
connected with art, and of other citizens interested in the
subject,” as George P. Putnam took pains to say on that
eventful evening.

Of this first gathering it is recorded that a large number
were present — one New York newspaper says “some three
hundred gentlemen” — even though the weather prevented
“many earnest friends of the object from attending.” So
early in the history of the Museum do we come upon what
we now term “Museum weather.” To the natural query as to
who were present. The New York Times gives the following
answer: “There was a large representation of artists, editors,
architects, lawyers, merchants, and others present. Among

103

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

the artists were Church, Bierstadt, H. P. Gray, Stone, Cranch»
Kensett, Lang, Swain, Gifford, F. A. Tait, W alter Brown.
W'm. Hart, Le Clear, Rogers, Shattuck, Hayes, McEntee,
W^engler, Perry, Bristol, Paige, and many others. Among
other prominent gentlemen present were Rev. Dr. Bellows,
Richard Upjohn, Mr. Mould, Richard Grant White, Chas. F.
Briggs, James Brooks, Rev. Dr. Thompson, Judge Peabod\’,
and others.”

The following gentlemen acted as officers of the meeting:

PRESIDENT

William Cullen Bryant

VICE PRESIDENTS

Daniel Huntington, of the National Academ}- of
Design.

R. M. Hunt, President of the N. Y. Chapter of the
Institute of Architects.

Andrew H. Green, Comptroller of the Central Park.
Wm. J. Hoppin, of the New York Historical Societw
Henry W^. Bellows, D. D., of the Centur}' Club.

F. A. P. Barnard, LL. D., President of Columbia
College.

Henry G. Stebbins, President Central Park Com-
mission.

Marshall O. Roberts, Union League Club.

Wm. E. Dodge, Jr., President \'cung Men’s Christian
Association.

SECRETARIES

S. P. Avery, Secretary of the Art Committee, Union
League Club.

A. J. Bloor, Secretary of the New '’t'ork Chapter, Insti-
tute of Architects.

104

JOHN JAY

FROM THE PAINTING BY JARED B- FLAGG
THE PROPERTY OF THE UNION LEAGUE CLUB

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Of this noteworthy group of men, but one survives to-da}-,
Alfred J. Bloor. He has said, “Well 1 remember the ‘sea of
upturned faces’ and the applause that greeted the venerable
poet and publicist as he rose to address the audience, as well
as the dead silence that followed when he opened his lips to
speak. Any person who reads the art history of New
York even casually must recognize the appropriateness of the
selection of William Cullen Bryant as presiding officer, one
who held the confidence, esteem, and love both of the artists
and of the community, who possessed the advantage of being
intimately connected with the entire art movement and yet
not belonging to the fraternity of artists, hence representing
not a single group of men, but the great body of people in
New York. The New York Evening Mail referred to this
happy choice in an editorial as follows: “ It was fitting that
the Nestor of our poets and journalists — long may his vigor
remain unimpaired, as it is at present — who has been the
counsellor, adviser, and promoter of all projects for the en-
couragement of American art; who assisted at the birth and
has sedulously aided the whole growth of our art, and
whose name is a tower of strength for any enterprise —
should take the lead in a movement which promises so
nobly.”

The other officers of the evening were men of varied occu-
pation, but common interest in the highest good of their
fellow-men, chosen to represent the organizations with which
they were officially connected. Mr. Bryant on taking the
chair introduced the subject in an address worthy to be
copied here:

“We are assembled, my friends, to consider the subject of
founding in this city a Museum of .Art, a repository of the
productions of artists of ever\' class, which shall be in some

'Address read at the inaugural ceremonies at the Syracuse .Museum.

io6

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

measure worthy of this great metropolis and of the wide
empire of which New York is the commercial center. 1
understand that no rivalry with any other project is con-
templated, no competition, save with similar institutions in
other countries, and then only such modest competition as a
Museum in its infancy may aspire to hold with those which
were founded centuries ago, and are enriched with the
additions made by the munificence of successive generations.
No precise method of reaching this result has been deter-
mined on, but the object of the present meeting is to awaken
the public, so far as such a meeting can influence the general
mind, to the importance of taking early and effectual meas-
ures for founding such a museum as 1 have described.

“Our city is the third great city of the civilized world.
Our republic has already taken its place among the great
powers of the earth; it is great in extent, great in population,
great in the activity and enterprise of her people. It is the
richest nation in the world, if paying off an enormous national
debt with a rapidity unexampled in history be any proof of
riches; the richest in the world, if contented submission to
heavy taxation be a sign of wealth; the richest in the world,
if quietly to allow itself to be annually plundered of immense
sums by men who seek public stations for their individual
profit be a token of public prosperity. My friends, if a tenth
part of what is every year stolen from us in this way, in the
city where we live, under pretence of the public service, and
poured profusely into the coffers of political rogues, were
expended on a Museum of Art, we might have, reposited in
spacious and stately buildings, collections formed of works
left by the world’s greatest artists, which would be the pride
of our country. We might have an annual revenue which
would bring to the Museum every stray statue and picture of
merit for which there should be no ready sale to individuals,
every smaller collection in the country which its owner could

107

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

no longer conveniently keep, every noble work by the artists
of former ages, which by any casualty, after long remaining
on the walls of some ancient building, should be again thrown
upon the world.

“ But what have we done — numerous as our people are,
and so rich as to be contentedly cheated and plundered, what
have we done toward founding such a repositor} ? W'e have
hardly made a step toward it. Yet, beyond the sea there is
the little kingdom of Saxony, which, with an area less than
that of Massachusetts, and a population but little larger,
possesses a Museum of the Fine Arts marvellously rich, which
no man who visits the continent of Europe is willing to own
that he has not seen. There is Spain, a third-rate power of
Europe and poor besides, with a Museum of Fine Arts at her
capital, the opulence and extent of which absolutely bewilder
the visitor. 1 will not speak of France or of England, con-
quering nations, which have gathered their treasures of art in
part from regions overrun by their armies; nor yet of Itah’,
the fortunate inheritor of so many glorious productions of
her own artists. But there are Holland and Belgium, king-
doms almost too small to be heeded b)' the greater powers of
Europe in the consultations which decide the destinies of
nations, and these little kingdoms have their public col-
lections of art, the resort of admiring visitors from all parts of
the civilized world.

“ But in our country, when the owner of a private galler}' of
art desires to leave his treasures where they can be seen by
the public, he looks in vain for any institution to which he can
send them. A public-spirited citizen desires to employ a
favorite artist upon some great historical picture; here are no
walls on which it can hang in the public sight. A large col-
lection of works of art, made at great cost, and with great
pains, gathered perhaps during a life-time, is for sale in
Europe. We may find here men willing to contribute to

io8

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

purchase it, but if it should be brought to our country there
is no edifice here to give it hospitality.

“ In 1857, during a visit to Spain, 1 found in Madrid a rich
private collection of pictures, made by Medraza, an aged
painter, during a long life, and at a period when frequent
social and political changes in that country dismantled many
palaces of the old nobility of the works of art which adorned
them. In that collection were many pictures by the illus-
trious elder artists of Italy, Spain, and Holland. The whole
might have been bought for half its value, but if it had been
brought over to our country, we had no gallery to hold it.
The same year 1 stood in the famous Campana Collection of
marbles, at Rome, which was then waiting for a purchaser —
a noble collection, busts and statues of the ancient philoso-
phers, orators, and poets, the majestic forms of Roman sena-
tors, the deities of ancient mythology,

‘The fair humanities of old religion,’

but if they had been purchased by our countrymen and
landed here, we should have been obliged to leave them in
boxes, just as they were packed.

“ Moreover, we require an extensive public gallery to
contain the greater works of our painters and sculptors. The
American soil is prolific of artists. The fine arts blossom not
only in the populous regions of our country, but even in its
solitary places. Go where you will, into whatever museum
of art in the old world, you will find there artists from the
new, contemplating or copying the masterpieces of art which
they contain. Our artists swarm in Italy. When 1 was
last at Rome, two years since, 1 found the number of Ameri-
can artists residing there as two to one compared with those
from the British isles. But there are beginners among us
who have not the means of resorting to distant countries for
that instruction in art which is derived from carefully study-

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OE ART

ing works of acknowledged excellence. For these a gallery
is needed at home, which shall vie with those abroad, if not
in the multitude, yet in the merit, of the works it contains.

“ "i et further, it is unfortunate for our artists, our painters
especially, that they too often find their genius cramped by
the narrow space in which it is constrained to exert itself.
It is like a bird in a cage which can only take short flights
from one perch to another and longs to stretch its wings in an
ampler atmosphere. Producing works for private dwellings,
our painters are for the most part obliged to confine them-
selves to cabinet pictures, and have little opportunity for
that larger treatment of important subjects which a greater
breadth of canvas would allow them and b}' which the higher
and nobler triumphs of their art have been achieved.

“There is yet another view of the subject, and a most
important one. When 1 consider, m}' friends, the prospect
which opens before this great mart of the western world, 1
am moved by feelings which 1 feel it somewhat difficult to
clearly define. The growth of our city is already w nder-
fully rapid; it is every day spreading itself into the surround-
ing region, and overwhelming it like an inundation. Now
that our great railwa\' has been laid from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, Eastern Asia and Western Europe will shake hands
over our republic. New York will be the mart from which
Europe will receive a large proportion of the products of
China, and will become not only a center of commerce for the
New World, but for that region which is to Europe the most
remote part of the Old. A new impulse will be given to the
growth of our city, which 1 cannot contemplate without an
emotion akin to dismay. Men will flock in greater numbers
than ever before to plant themselves on a spot so favorable
to the exchange of commodities between distant regions: and
here will be an aggregation of human life, a concentration of
all that ennobles and all that degrades humanity, on a scale

I 10

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

which the imagination cannot venture to measure. To
great cities resort not only all that is eminent in talent, all
that is splendid in genius, and all that is active in philan-
thropy; but also all that is most dexterous in villany, and all
that is most foul in guilt. It is in the labyrinths of such
mighty and crowded populations that crime finds its safest
lurking-places; it is there that vice spreads its most seductive
and fatal snares, and sin is pampered and festers and spreads
its contagion in the greatest security.

“ My friends, it is important that we should encounter the
temptations to vice in this great and too rapidly growing
capital by attractive entertainments of an innocent and
improving character. We have libraries and reading-rooms,
and this is well; we have also spacious halls for musical enter-
tainments, and that also is well; but there are times when we
do not care to read and are satiate with listening to sweet
sounds, and when we more willingly contemplate works of
art. It is the business of the true philanthropist to find
means of gratifying this preference. We must be beforehand
with vice in our arrangements for all that gives grace and
cheerfulness to society. The influence of works of art is whole-
some, ennobling, instructive. Besides the cultivation of the
sense of beauty — in other words, the perception of order,
symmetry, proportion of parts, which is of near kindred to
the moral sentiments — the intelligent contemplation of a
great gallery of works of art is a lesson in history, a lesson in
biography, a lesson in the antiquities of different countries.
Half our know’ledge of the customs and modes of life among
the ancient Greeks and Romans is derived from the remains,
of ancient art.

“ Let it be remembered to the honor of art that if it has
ever been perverted to the purpose of vice, it has only been
at the bidding of some corrupt court or at the desire of some
opulent and powerful voluptuary whose word was law.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

When intended for the general eye no such stain rests on the
works of art. Let me close with an anecdote of the influence
of a well-known work. 1 was once speaking to the poet
Rogers in commendation of the painting of Ary Scheffer,
entitled Christ the Consoler. ‘1 have an engraving of it,’
he answered, ‘hanging at my bedside, where it meets my eye
every morning.’ The aged poet, over whom already im-
pended the shadow that shrouds the entrance to the next
world, found his morning meditations guided by that work
to the Founder of our religion.”

The next speaker was Professor George Fiske Comfort of
Princeton, who though but a young man, had already
devoted six years continuously to study in Europe of the
conditions of art and the nature of the art institutions there.
So he was able to speak with authority of the relation of art
to civilization, to emphasize the importance of establishing a
museum of art, and to indicate what in his opinion should be
the character of the exhibits, the policy as to arrangement,
and the methods of administration. It is a noteworth}' fact
that there can be cited scarcely any plan of museum work
that has been adopted during the last forty years which was
not at least referred to in this comprehensive address. Loan
exhibitions, a department of decorative arts, the fitting up of
lecture rooms and the giving of lectures for the general public,
the work with school children, the great opportunity that a
museum has to enrich the lives of the poor; — all these and
other features of museum work were outlined in a clear and
scholarly wa_\’. Even the desirability of keeping General
Cesnola’s Cxpriote collection in America was suggested.
The concluding paragraph won enthusiastic applause:

“ In the year 1776 this nation declared her political inde-
pendence of Europe. The provincial relation was then
severed as regards politics; may we not now begin insti-

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

tutionsthat by the year 1876 shall sever the provincial re-
lation of America to Europe in respect to Art? ’'^

Mr. Bryant then called on other gentlemen present, who
responded with words of approval and sympathetic support.
Richard M. Hunt, as a member of the American Institute
of Architects, pledged the help of that body in erecting
the necessary building and told of their efforts toward
establishing a museum, as follows:

“The Society of Architects has already been endeavoring
to fill up this gap, that everyone seems now to take such
interest in. We commenced some ten years ago with the
idea of establishing a National Museum, but after a trial of
several years it was found to be impracticable. And now,
within the last year or eighteen months, we have com-
menced the formation of the Architectural Library of the
City of New York. That is the title; but it is our aim to
have, at no very future period, a museum similar to the
Kensington Museum in London. And although our means
are not coming forward as fast as we could wish, we are in
hopes soon to have some place where we may gather one of
the great features that now exists in the Kensington
Museum — a Loan Collection of Works of Art.

“ Every day it becomes harder and harder to get hold of
the chefs-d’oeuvre of antiquity, or even of modern times.
A few years ago, the Campana Collection was sold.
My brother and I felt what an im.mense advantage it would
be to have the collection in this city, and we endeavored then
to get gentlemen to purchase the collection. ... If
that had been accomplished, we should have had the com-
mencement of a museum similar to those that are now being
formed in most of the countries of Europe.”

When Russell Sturgis, Jr., then only a beginner in the field

‘ This address may be read in Old and New, under the title of Art Museums
of America.

I 13

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

of art, later so distinguished in his chosen branch, archi-
tecture, was called upon to speak, he also emphasized the
valuable opportunities for acquiring collections of art that
were slipping by.

The Honorable Henry G. Stebbins proffered earnest s}m-
pathy from the Central Park Commission as individuals and
as a commission and a promise to do their utmost to promote
the object.

The Rev. Dr. Joseph P. Thompson of the Broadway
Tabernacle, whose words were greeted with great applause,
expressed himself as seeing in “the very grandeur of the
scale” on which this movement was projected “an element of
success.” He closed with this wish: “1 long for the day
when 1 can unite with my friend Dr. Bellows, and all men
throughout this city who are ever called to lift their hands in
benediction, and stand hand in hand, with our hands up-
lifted toward Heaven, and invoke our benediction on the
corner-stone of this Museum of Art, which will also be a
museum of Virtue, a museum of Purity, and a museum of
Goodness and Truth.”

C. C. Cole, brother of Henry Cole, then Superintendent
of the South Kensington Museum, gave as his suggestion
that especial emphasis should be placed upon the L.oan
Collection, which from the very first had proved “the very
back-bone of the South Kensington Museum.’

The Rev. Dr. Bellows of All Souls’ Church was then
“loudly called for,” the account sa_\s, and his enthusiastic
attitude won heartiest applause. Some of his statements,
then perhaps deemed extravagant, deserve repetition because
of the literal way in which they have been carried out. For
example, “ 1 have not been in the least degree discouraged by
the objections that have been raised here in reference to the
difficulty of supplying a Museum of the best productions of
Art. . . . Who is to say when we, through the redun-

114

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

dant wealth with which our prosperity threatens to possess
us, shall be able to outbid the world in any market for those
great recondite works of Art which are so necessary to the
cultivation of every people? Who can say how soon we may
find ourselves the largest and the safest offerers for the cus-
tody and protection of the highest of all works in the world?”

William J. Hoppin, Marshall O. Roberts, W. E. Dodge, Jr.,
and George William Curtis, w'ho for various reasons found
themselves unable to be present, sent letters of good wishes,
which were read. Mr. Hoppin urged cooperation with the
Historical Society, the possessors of a valuable nucleus for
the proposed collection, and laid special stress upon one point,
that the Museum “must be built and mainly supported by
the taxpayers of the City of New York,” thus being a public
institution kept up by public funds.

In the words of a newspaper writer of the day, “unmis-
takable enthusiasm and evidence of purpose marked the
entire proceedings.” The immediate results of this first
public meeting were principally two: awakening public
interest — a most necessary step in any undertaking —
and placing the responsibility for the movement definitely
upon a Provisional Committee, a group of representative
men, fifty in number, who were interested in art. The last
result was accomplished by the adoption of the following
resolutions:

“ Resolved:

“1. That in the opinion of this meeting, it is expedient
and highly desirable that efficient and judicious measures
should at once be initiated with reference to the establish-
ment in this city of a Museum of Art, on a scale worthy
of this metropolis and of a great nation.

“11. That a Committee of citizens, properly representing
the various organizations and individuals directly or indi-
rectly interested in the object, should at once be appointed;

115

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

and that to them the whole subject should be referred, with
power to fill vacancies in the Committee and to add to their
numbers; to appoint sub-committees; to prepare a constitu-
tion and by-laws; to apply for a charter, and to adopt such
measures as they may find expedient for the accomplishment
of the above-named object.

“111. Resolved, That the appointment of fifty gentle-
men, as hereinafter named, to serve on such Committee,
would be, in our opinion, satisfactory to the whole commun-
ity; and we hereby respectfully request the gentlemen named
to take the objects of this meeting into their own hands, and
to carry them to successful completion by all such means as
they may deem expedient.

“ IV. That the Secretaries of this meeting be requested
to notify the gentlemen thus designated, and to call an early
meeting of this Provisional Committee, viz.:

William H. Aspinwall
W. L. Andrews
S. L. M. Barlow
William T. Blodgett
Walter Brown
Charles Butler
Richard Butler
Leg RAND B. Cannon
Joseph H. Choate
F. E. Church
James B. Colgate
George F. Comfort
George Wm. Curtis
Gen. John A. Dix
C. E. Detmold
Wm. E. Dodge, Jr.
Benj. H. Field

S. R. Gifford
Robert Gordon
Andrew H. Green
George Griswold
John H. Hall
Robert Hoe, Jr.

Wm. J. Hoppin
D. Huntington
Richard .M. Hunt
John Taylor Johnston
Robert Lenox Kennedy
John Lafarge
A. A. Low
James Lenox
Henry G. Marquand
Fred. Law Olmsted
R. M. Olyphant

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

Howard Potter
W. C. Prime
Prof. O. M. Rood
Marshall O. Roberts
Henry G. Stebbins
.Alex. T. Stewart
D. Jackson Stewart
Robert L. Stuart
.Anson P. Stokes

Samuel Gray Ward
Theodore Weston.”

Jonathan Sturges

Lucius Tuckerman
Gen. F. L. Vinton
Galvert Vaux

George M. Vanderlip

Russell Sturgis, Jr.
Rutherfurd Stuyvesant

Fortunately Alfred J. Bloor remembers what happened
that same evening after the public meeting. “1 recall,”
says he, , . . “the supper (still under the roof of the

hospitable Union League Club) which followed the formal
endorsement of the preliminary labors of the months before-
hand. The supper party consisted of twelve, thus escaping
by only one the unlucky number. The participants con-
sisted of Mr. Bryant, who occupied the head of the table;
Mr. Putnam, Mr. Avery, Prof. Comfort; two clergymen,
Drs. Bellows and Thompson; three painters, Messrs. Kensett,
Baker, and Whittredge; and three of my own profession, Cal-
vert Vaux, Consulting Architect of the Central Park Board,
P. B. Wight, architect of the National Academy of Design,
and myself. Much good humor prevailed over the result of
the previous exertions of those who had been most active in
the premises. There was a free exchange of opinion as to the
prospects of the new-born institution and as to available
methods for carrying it to success, to which and to the chief
workers so far toasts were pledged.”

Of course, the following day and for some days to come,
the various newspapers commented at length on the latest
project for a Metropolitan Art Museum. We quote from the
New York Evening Mail:

“ If better guarantee were wanted of a successful issue of

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

the project than that given in the other names on the list of
the committee, those of the Central Park Commissioners
which we find there would be sufficient to satisfy us that this
scheme, unlike the abortive efforts of the past in this direc-
tion, will come to fruit.

“The cooperation of the Park Commissioners means, in
the first place, a site worth half a million of dollars, whereon
to erect a museum; secondly, it means invaluable assistance
in raising the necessary funds to erect the building; and
thirdly, it means invaluable advice in its construction and the
best custodianship of it and its treasures when it is a com-
pleted thing.

The Provisional Committee held frequent meetings during
the following months, sometimes at the rooms of the Centur}'
Club, No. 109 East 15th Street, and again at the rooms of
Samuel P. Avery, No. 88 Fifth Avenue. Many letters passed
between different members of the committee. In brief, they
gave themselves unstintingly to the cause they had espoused.
Their number was increased from fifty to one hundred and
sixteen by the appointment of the members of the Art Com-
mittee of the Union League Club, the officers of the public
meeting whose names were not already included, and other
gentlemen. Honorary Corresponding Secretaries both in
America and Europe were chosen.

'The Park Commissioners had reason to be interested in any efforts
toward establishing a museum of art, inasmuch as they themselves in May
of that same year had been authorized by legislative act “to erect, establish,
conduct, and maintain in the Central Park in said City, a meteorological
and astronomical observatory, and a museum of natural history and a
gallery of art, and the buildings therefor, and to provide the necessary
instruments, furniture, and equipments for the same.” With Andrew H.
Green, a member of the first Board of Commissioners, who conceived the
plan of a Central Park, originated the idea of including within that park all
the buildings necessary for the education or rational pleasure of the people.
The site selected for this art gallery in the park was the one occupied to-day
by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and plans adapted to the site were
prepared by Calvert Vaux and J. W. Mould.

118

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

At the first meeting of the committee, December 7, 1869,
Hon. Henry G. Stebbins was made President of the Com-
mittee and Theodore Weston, Secretary. A sub-committee
of thirteen was appointed, consisting of George P. Putnam,
who was made Chairman, J. Q. A. Ward, S. R. Gifford,
Joseph H. Choate, Frederick Law Olmsted, William E.
Dodge, Jr., Andrew H. Green, Lucius H. Tuckerman,
Robert Hoe, Jr., W. T. Blodgett, John H. Hall, William j.
Hoppin, and Calvert Vaux, “to draw a plan of organization
for a Metropolitan Art Museum Association, and to nomi-
nate a list of officers.”

While this committee was working over such important
problems, Mr. Putnam, the chairman, received two letters
of advice and help from which it seems wise to quote freely.
The first, from Prof. Comfort of Princeton, dated Decem-
ber 13, 1869, is of interest both as revealing an exact
knowledge of the conditions in European museums at that
time and as unfolding the earnest, helpful character of this
ardent student and teacher of art. He writes, “ I hope that
the committee, in their deliberations, will not overlook the
Leipsic Museum — opened in 1858; — the Amsterdam Mu-
seum opened in 1865 ; the Gotha Museum with its remarkable
collection of 20,000 casts of coins; the ‘National-Museum’
now being built in Berlin to contain only modern German
paintings and sculpture; the ‘Deutsches Museum’ which
was established in Nuremberg a few years ago, the object of
which is to illustrate the application of art to industry in
Germany as well as other branches of German history; ^ —
and especially the hitherto unparalleled collection of casts in
the ‘New Museum’ of Berlin.

“The Cluny Museum in Paris, and several of the Musees
departmentales in such cities of France as Rouen and Lyons
give perhaps the best illustration of the ‘applied arts’ of the
middle ages that are to be found in any European Museums.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

“It would be a misfortune also not to have all of the
intelligent criticisms and valuable practical suggestions with
reference to the organization of museums that have come
before the artistic public in Europe, either in the discussions
of the archaeological societies or in the archaeological jour-
nals, taken advantage of in a Metropolitan Museum of Art
for New York City. The other cities will follow rapidly in
the wake of New York in this movement, and New York
should, if possible, put up a museum which should, both in its
edifice and in its appointments, be a model for the world."

The second letter, from Rev. Dr. Henry W. Bellows, dated
January 7, 1870, is an answer to a request for his counsel
"with reference to the fittest men to have charge of the
enterprise." The committee had not yet decided, appar-
ently, what nominations to submit. Dr. Bellows, who
spoke with such infectious enthusiasm on Novem.ber 23,
1869, now expressed his recognition of the difficulties con-
nected with the project, and the need of men of unusual
“faith and prevision” to meet and surmount the obstacles.
“.Men,” he writes, “who can make provisional agreements
with the Central Park Trustees for an ample site; who can
quietly collect the amount necessary to procure from the
best architects we have, in connection with the best special-
ists in the history and proper elements of an Art Museum —
a plan, which can be presented in all its majesty and charm
to the public and the men of wealth — and yet W'hich can be
built piecemeal, as it is needed, or just in advance of the
need? ....

“ It wants men of middle age, of unabated energy, resolute
will, and hot enthusiasm to carry forward such a work; and
among them must be men of art-culture and positive art
knowledge.

“This class is very small — for men of affairs and enter-
prise and executive ability are seldom interested in art, or

120

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

marked with taste and appreciation of the delicate interests
of the Beautiful; and artists, a brooding, dreamy, meditative
class, closed to the world by their intensity of passion for their
coy mistress, are seldom men of practical wisdom, push, and
enterprise. Still it is in this rare class that we must look
for the men alone competent to supply alike thought and
action, both indispensable in this art museum enterprise!
We must have a Board of Trustees, or a committee — not
large eno’ to allow factions within it, neutralizing each
other’s zeal; small enough to make the responsibility deeply
felt by each, and to compact all together by a sense of
mutual dependence; not too large to take from each a feeling
that his share in the labor and honor of the enterprise is con-
siderable and worth striving hard to get and to keep; not so
small that it will be a clique, and be wholly dominated by one
master-mind.

“The enterprise wants a Head, to begin with — one man
in whose soul the enterprise is a principal thing, and about
whom the Trustees can rally and fire up with his courage and
hope and determination. Perhaps this man cannot yet be
named and is to be discovered by his fellows among the
Trustees! Until he does appear things will drag; when he
turns up, the cause is won! It is worth pains to find
him.”

Doctor Bellows concludes with the hope that “the coun-
cils of the Committee of Fifty will be broad, noble, imper-
sonal, unprejudiced, and solely animated with a zeal for the
interests of Art and the glory of our Metropolis and the good
of Humanity.” This quotation by its very emphasis upon
the noble characteristics of men ideally fitted for the work
but accentuates the unswerving devotion, the wonderful
faith, and the abundant works of the real men who were
pioneers in our Museum.

On January 4, 1870, the sub-committee made a carefully

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

prepared report on the first task — to draw up a plan of
organization — with the articles of the constitution sub-
mitted for adoption, declaring that “in their judgment the
proposed Museum should be comprehensive in its scope and
purpose.

“That it should include not only collections of paintings
and sculpture, but should also contain drawings, engravings,
medals, photographs, architectural models, historical por-
traits, and specimens illustrating the application of art to
manufactures; thus affording to our whole people free and
ample means for innocent and refined enjoyment, and also
supplying the best facilities for practical instruction and for
the cultivation of pure taste in all matters connected with
the fine arts. ”

The plan of organization submitted was purposely as
simple as possible because it was but a provisional consti-
tution. It was adapted to one end, to secure a collection of
works of art, and left all details of administration and exhi-
bition of objects for future decision, on the ground that
those who later became benefactors of the Museum should
not be deprived of their rightful share in determining its
policy. The officers named were a President, three \'ice
Presidents, nine Trustees, a Recording Secretarx', a Corres-
ponding Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Executive Committee
of thirteen.

The other task entrusted to the committee of thirteen, that
of presenting a ticket of nominations for permanent officers,
was performed most generously by providing not one ticket
but two “for revision and choice.” When this report was
presented, January 17, 1870, an advisory committee com-
bined the two tickets into one by taking names from both
lists, the following names standing as the nominations. On
January 31, 1870, these men were elected as the first officers
of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

PRESIDENT

John Taylor Johnston

VICE PRESIDENTS

Wm. C. Bryant
General John A. Dix

TRUSTEES

Wm. H. Aspinwall
C. E. Detmold
Andrew H. Green
Wm. J. Hoppin

EXECUTIVE

Wm. T. Blodgett
S. L. M. Barlow
Geo. F. Comfort
F. E. Church
Joseph H. Choate
Robert Gordon

R. M.

John F. Kensett
Hon. E. D. Morgan
Howard Potter
H. G. Stebbins

COMMITTEE

Robert Hoe, Jr.
Eastman Johnson
F. L. Olmsted
Geo. P. Putnam
Lucius Tuckerman
J. Q. A. Ward

Hunt

treasurer
Samuel G. Ward

RECORDING SECRETARY

Theodore Weston

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Russell Sturgis, Jr.

The choice of John Taylor Johnston as President was
spontaneous. He measured up to Dr. Bellows’ standard of
the “ Head ” of such an enterprise. He was a man “ of
middle age, of unabated energy, resolute will, and hot

123

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

enthusiasm.” Though a man of “ affairs, enterprise, and
executive ability,” he had long been interested in art. He
had assembled in his house the most important collection
of pictures then in America, which he had freely opened to
the public. He had a large acquaintance among the artists,
who were wont to assemble every year at a reception given
in their honor, and enjoy not only his man>’ works of art
but that ” artists’ punch ” which Charles Astor Bristed
celebrated in song.^ He was abroad at the time and had
taken no part in the preliminary meetings, but when a cable
reached him on the Nile offering him the presidency, and
stating that the enterprise would be launched at once if he
would accept, the committee promptly received by return
cable an affirmative reply.

His presidency of nineteen years was an active one, and
covered the entire formative period of the Museum’s growth.
Failing health compelled his resignation in 1889, but he
continued as Honorary President until his death in 1893.
In the words of the memorial resolution then adopted,
“To his rare tact, refined taste, large experience, and excel-
lent judgment the Trustees of the Museum have been
greatly beholden for the harmony and singleness of purpose
which have prevailed in their councils, the prodigiously rapid
growth of their collections, and the ample esteem in which
the Museum is now held by the public.”

It is difficult for us to realize the position in which these
first officers found themselves. They had no building, not
even a site, no existing collection as a nucleus, no read}'
money to use, no legal title or status, onl}' the “clearl}'
defined idea of a Museum of Art and the united will to
create it,” as W’illiam C. Prime, later First \’ice President,
said years afterward, and \'et he was able to record that there

' See a poem entitled That Punch!!! and dated Feb. 1 1, 1865, which was
printed for pri\ ate circulation.

124

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

was “no hesitation, no pause, no shadow or cloud, not an
hour of doubt or discouragement.”

The drafting of a charter, the adoption of a permanent
constitution and by-laws, and the defining of a proper policy:
these were imperative as the next steps. On the 13th day of
April, 1870, the Legislature of the State of New York granted
an act of incorporation to the officers and George William
Curtis under the name of The Metropolitan Museum of
Art, “to be located in the City of New York, for the purpose
of establishing and maintaining in said city a museum and
library of art, of encouraging and developing the study of the
fine arts, and the application of arts to manufacture and
practical life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred
subjects, and, to that end, of furnishing popular instruction
and recreation.”

At a meeting held May 24, 1870, termed the First Annual
Meeting, the permanent constitution was adopted. For
record, at least, this should be included here.

ARTICLE 1

The persons named in the Act of Incorporation, and such
of their associates in the unincorporated Association hereto-
fore known as “The Metropolitan Museum of Art,” as shall
on the adoption of this Corporation and charter sign their
names thereto in token of acceptance thereof, shall be mem-
bers of this Corporation.

Whenever by death, resignation, or otherwise, the number
of members shall be less than two hundred and fifty, new
members may be elected to fill up that number, but not to
exceed the same. Such new members shall be elected onl\'
upon the nomination of the Trustees, at a regular meeting of
the Corporation, and the votes of two-thirds of the members
present at such meeting shall be requisite to an election of a
new member.

125

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

ARTICLE 11

The officers of this Corporation shall be a President, nine
Vice-Presidents, twenty-one Trustees, a Treasurer, a Record-
ing Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, the several Com-
mittees hereinafter named, and such Special Committees as
shall from time to time be created by the Trustees.

ARTICLE 111

The President, Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and Secretaries
shall be elected annually, by ballot, at the annual meeting to
be held on the second Monday in May, at eight o’clock p. m.
rhey shall each hold office for the term of one year, and until
their successors are elected. At the first annual meeting
twenty-one Trustees shall be elected b}’ ballot; and the Trus-
tees so elected shall at their first meeting be divided b}^ lot
into seven classes, of three each; the first class to hold office
for one year, the second for two years, the third for three
years, the fourth for four } ears, the fifth for five \ ears, the
sixth for six years, the seventh for seven \ears. And at
each subsequent annual election three Trustees onl}- shall be
elected by ballot to fill the places of the class whose term shall
then expire, and to hold their offices for seven } ears. The
President and the Treasurer of this Corporation, and also the
Mayor of the City of New \'ork, the Governor of the State
of New York, the President of the Department of Public
Parks in the City of New York, the Commissioner of Public
Works in the City of New ^’ork, the President of the National
Academy of Design, and the President of the New ^'ork
Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, for the time
being, shall also be ex-officio Trustees of this Corporation.

ARTICLE IV

The Trustees shall have the general management of the

126

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

affairs of the Corporation, and the control of its property.
They shall meet quarterly, on the third Monday of every
March, May, September, and December, at an hour and
place to be designated, on at least one week’s written notice
from the Secretary; and shall annually, at the quarterly
meeting in May, elect, from their own number. Executive,
Auditing, and Finance Committees for the ensuing year.
They shall also meet at any other time to transact special
business, on a call of the Secretary, who shall issue such call
whenever requested so to do, in writing, by five Trustees, or
by the President, and give written notice to each Trustee of
such special meeting, and of the object thereof, at least three
days before the meeting is held. Any vacancies occurring in
the Board of Trustees otherwise than by the expiration of the
term of office for which a Trustee shall have been elected,
shall be filled by the remaining Trustees by ballot, and the
Trustee so elected shall take the place of the Trustee whose
office has become vacant, and hold his office for the same term
as such original Trustee would have held. Any such
vacancy occurring in any other office shall be filled, until the
next annual election, by the Trustees, by ballot.

ARTICLE V

The President, and in his absence, the Senior Vice-Presi-
dent present, shall preside at all the meetings of the Museum.
The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the proceed-
ings of the Trustees, of the Executive Committee, and of the
Auditing Committee, and shall preserve the seal, archives,
and correspondence of the Museum, shall issue notices for all
meetings of the Trustees, and attend the same. The Cor-
responding Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the
Museum, be present, and participate in all meetings of the
Trustees and Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall
receive, and, under the direction of the Finance Committee,

127

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

disburse the funds of the Museum. He shall keep the ac-
counts of the Museum in books belonging to it, which shall
be at all times open to the inspection of the Trustees. He
shall report in writing at each quarterly meeting of the Trus-
tees, the balance of money on hand, and the outstanding
obligations of the Museum, as far as practicable, and shall
make a full report, at the annual meeting, of the receipts and
disbursements of the past year, with such suggestions as to
the financial management of the Museum as he may deem
proper.

ARTICLE VI

The Executive Committee shall consist of five. The)' shall
have the immediate charge, control, and regulation of the
Collections, Library, and other property of the Museum, and
shall have power to purchase, sell, and exchange the pictures,
and other Works of Art, Curiosities, and Books of the .Mus-
eum, to employ agents, to regulate the manner and terms of
exhibiting the Museum to the public, and generall)' to carr\'
out in detail the directions of the Trustees; but neither the
Executive Committee, nor any officer or agent of the Mu-
seum, shall incur any expense, liability, or indebtedness for
the Museum, without the express authority of the Trustees,
given by a vote of the Board at a regular meeting thereof.
The President and Treasurer shall also be, ex-officio, mem-
bers of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VH

The Auditing Committee shall consist of three, none of
whom shall belong to the Executive Committee, and it shall
be their duty to examine and certify all bills presented
against the corporation; and no bills shall be paid unless first
approved in writing by at least two members of this Com-
mittee.

128

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

ARTICLE VIII

The Finance Committee shall consist of three, including
the Treasurer, and it shall be their duty to take charge of and
invest the funds of the Museum in its name, and to take all
proper measures to provide means for its support.

ARTICLE iX

Eleven of the Trustees, exclusive of the ex-officio members,
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but
five Trustees meeting may adjourn and transact current
business, subject to the subsequent approval of a meeting
at which a quorum shall be present.

ARTICLE X

Special Meetings of the Corporation may be called at any
time by the Secretary, upon an order of the President, or the
written request of any ten members, and at all meetings of
the Corporation twenty members shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE XI

By-laws may from time to time be made by the Trustees,
providing for the care and management of the property of the
Corporation, and for the government of its affairs.

Such By-laws, when once adopted, may be amended at
any meeting of the Trustees by a vote of a majority of those
present, after a month’s notice, in writing, of such proposed
amendment.

ARTICLE XII

The contribution of one thousand dollars or more to the
fund of the Museum, at one time, shall entitle the person
giving the same to be a Patron of the Museum.

The contribution of five hundred dollars, at one time, shall
entitle the person giving the same to be a Fellow in Perpetu-

129

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

ity, who shall have the right to appoint his successor in such
Fellowship in Perpetuity.

The contribution of two hundred dollars, at one time, shall
entitle the person giving the same to be a Fellow for Life.

Any person may be elected by the Trustees to either of the
above degrees, who shall have donated to the Museum Books
or Works of Art, which shall have been accepted by the
Executive Committee, to the value of twice the amount in
money requisite to his admission to the same degree, and the
President and Secretary shall issue Diplomas accordingly,
under the seal of the Museum. The Trustees may also elect
Honorary Fellows of the Museum in their discretion.

All persons receiving such degrees and diplomas shall be
entitled at all times to free admission to the Museum, but
shall not, by virtue of such degrees and diplomas, become
members of the Corporation.

ARTICLE XIII

No alterations shall be made in this Constitution unless
by the affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of
the Corporation at the time being, nor without notice in writ-
ing of the proposed alteration, embodying the amendment
proposed to be made, having been given by the Secretary at
least thirty days before the meeting at which such amend-
ment shall be considered.

The committee to which was given the important work of
determining the proper policy of the Association had reported
in February, 1870. Their vision of a manj-sided museum
and their unwillingness to plan for anything less compre-
hensive than that must challenge our admiration. From
their report we cull these words: “The Metropolitan
Museum of Art should be based on the idea of a more or
less complete collection of objects illustrative of the History

130

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

of Art from the earliest beginnings to the present time.
We consider this definition important. It will be seen that
whilst it gives a distinct purpose to our efforts, it includes
all the aims, whether industrial, educational, or recreative,
which can give value to such an institution.

“ In making purchases, the object would be in the outset to
limit and define their direction so as not to dissipate means
without producing tangible results. Fortunately, there is a
large class of objects of the highest beauty, and of inestimable
-value toward the formation of sound taste in Art, which can
be had in great completeness by a comparatively moderate
expenditure, and with the smallest possible delay. These are
the casts of statues and sculpture of all sorts, of architectural
subjects and details.

“In this direction, with reasonable good judgment, it is
impossible to go wrong. The same may be said of the for-
mation of a Library of Art, consisting of all works of value on
all its branches and history. This we consider a prime es-
sential.

“The purchase of collections of undoubted value, and of
single objects in special directions, is, of course, a subject of
first-rate importance, but it is obvious that its consideration
must be deferred until the completion of an organization and
the possession of ample means, and form part of a carefully
considered system.

“The principle should be to keep in view the historical aim
of the collection, and to admit no works but those of an
acknowledged and representative value.”

Naturally the suggestion of holding loan exhibitions, which
had come from C. C. Cole at the first public meeting, was
carefully considered during this formative period. A Loan
Exhibition Committee, Russell Sturgis, Chairman, appointed
February 14, 1870, reported six weeks later in a long discus-
sion of pros and cons that a Loan Exhibition was both possi-

131

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

ble and advisable, but that it would be impossible to find any
building at all suitable for the purpose. This matter came
up again in January, 1871, when Messrs. Tiffany and
Company offered free use of the second story of their new
building on Union Square for a two months’ loan exhibition.
The letter, so encouraging in its unlooked-for proffer of help,
reads thus:

“It having been suggested to Mr. Tiffany that the Na-
tional Museum at Kensington owes its origin to an exhibition
of rare objects, lent to the Society of Arts, and that New York
only needed a suitable building to warrant a commensurate
success, he desires me to tender to you, sir, and through you
to the other gentlemen, directors of the Museum of Science
and Art, for that purpose free of expense, the use for sixty
days of the second floor of this building.

“Happy in being the medium of an offer so likely to
awaken public feeling for art, and in hope of the more san-
guine expectations being realized,

“ 1 remain, dear sir, yours very respectfully,

E. T. Magauran.”

This was a generous offer that might well seem at first sight
to require no action but grateful acceptance, but the Loan
Exhibition Committee pointed out that the effort, time, and
money required for an exhibition which could be only tem-
porary might better be expended in furthering the main
purpose of the organization. To turn aside from their prin-
cipal aim, which was to obtain a site and a building for a
permanent collection, might prove but to dissipate their
energy. If, however, the subscription were unattainable
without some such means to win popular favor, then the
loan exhibition should be undertaken as a last resource.
After a discussion of all the aspects of the question, the
Executive Committee declined the generous offer but con-

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

veyed to Messrs. Tiffany & Co. their high appreciation of
the motives which prompted their liberal action.

Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was the amount
which the Trustees determined to raise by subscription, a
sum pitiably small, in the retrospect of forty years, with
which to start an institution whose money resources, quite
aside from its collections, now aggregate nearly forty
times as much. But dollars were fewer then. The can-
vass for subscriptions was quietly but persistently and sys-
tematically carried on during 1870 and 1871. The names
of those who might be interested in the estabHshment of
the Museum were apportioned to different officers of the
association for personal interview and appeal. Every
member recognized that the success of the undertaking
depended upon the possibility of raising the needed money.
To tell the whole truth, we must acknowledge that only a
small percentage of the men approached for money in this
personal canvass responded to the appeal. Yet by March,
1871, $106,000 in amounts ranging from $10,000, the gift
made by John Taylor Johnston, to ^100, had been pledged
by one hundred and six persons, one hundred and five men
and one woman, Miss Catharine L. Wolfe, whose name is
familiar to many through her later benefactions. At one
meeting the Executive Committee was directed to inquire
into the desirability of appointing a committee of ladies to
solicit subscriptions, but apparently this was not deemed
desirable. The rapid increase in wealth in New York City
since 1870 is strikingly illustrated by contrasting the scale of
giving then with the much larger sums received to-day..
Only three men gave ^5,000 or over for the establishment of
the Museum: John Taylor Johnston, $10,000; W. T. Blod-
gett, $5,000; and Alexander T. Stewart, $5,000.

In March, 1871, a pamphlet was issued containing the
subscription list and an address to the people of New York,

133

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

to inform them what had now been accomplished and what
was planned for the future. One announcement reads:
“The Officers of the Museum desire especially to begin at an
early day the formation of a collection of industrial art, of
objects of utility to which decorative art has been applied,
ornamental metalwork, carving in wood, ivory, and stone,
painted glass, glass vessels, pottery, enamel, and all other
materials. 1 he time is particularly favorable for purchases
in this great department, and the need of forming such a
collection for the use of our mechanics and students is most
obvious and pressing.” In this, as in other statements, the
influence of the South Kensington Museum upon the Metro-
politan Museum is very evident.

An abstract of the pamphlet, published in the newspapers,
called forth editorial comment universally congratulatory.
1'he Evening Mail voiced the common feeling in a daringly
hopeful prediction: “W'e believe that the Metropolitan Art
Museum enterprise is not only handsomely launched, but
that the most trying era of its history has been passed. The
gentlemen who have devoted so much of their time and labor
to the work of preliminar\' organization have had much to
do that will never see the light or be general!}' appreciated,
but they ought to receive the approbation of the communit}'
for the care and judgment with which the\' have laid the
foundations of an enterprise grand enough in its now almost
assured future to yield lasting credit to all the movers in its
inception. The subsequent work of the friends of the
.Museum will be comparatively plain and easy. Subscrip-
tions will pour in with an arithmetical ratio of increase, as it
becomes understood that the project is no longer merel}'
speculative but a substantial and growing realit}'. As is
usual in all such cases, ‘the crowd will follow the crowd,’
success will bring other successes, and at last there will be
few men of means in the City who will not be unwilling or

>34

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

ashamed to decline the honor of aiding in the establishment
of a Museum worthy to rank with most of those in the Old
World.” 1

Yet less than a twelvemonth before, little was generally
known of the real status of the Museum project, though, as
we know, much had been quietly accomplished. In fact, the
Home Journal of April 20, 1870, just one week after the char-
ter was obtained, published an editorial amusingly wide the
mark, as the following extract will show:

“There was inaugurated last year, as some may remember,
“The Association of the Metropolitan Art Museum.’ This
association started with an art collection m posse rivaling
those of the Vatican, the Louvre, the Pinacothek, and several
other European attempts. It was a veritable ornament to
the city, and a precious acquisition to the art resources of the
country. Just what this organization has since accom-
plished, or where it is to be found at present, we cannot say.
When last heard from, it had a great future before it, but
exhibited no signals of alarm or distress. We are confident
it ‘still lives.’ It must be in existence somewhere, for
certainly such a body could not so soon evaporate from the
solar system by any natural process. It may be in the con-
dition of Mr. Bryant’s celebrated waterfowl, which he saw
diving into the sunset, and which, he states, went on ‘ lone
wandering but not lost. ’ That the association will some day
reappear on the arena of affairs we cannot doubt. Resurgam,
Non omnis moriar, Kara avis, and other passages in the
dictionary of quotations all point to a reappearance.”
From .March, 1871, no alert editor could question the exis-
tence of the Museum, for conditions permitted much more
use of advertising, of which the officers took full advantage.

By the pamphlet of March, 1871, the Trustees announced
a fact of prime importance, that through the purchase by

'N. Y. Evening Mail, .March 14, 1871.

135

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

two officers of the museum, a collection of one hundred and
seventy-four paintings, principally Dutch and Flemish, but
including representative works of the Italian, French, English,
and Spanish Schools, had been secured for the Museum.
This happy result was due to the foresight and generosity of
William T. Blodgett, assisted by John Taylor Johnston. .Mr.
Blodgett during the preceding summer had been able to pur-
chase on most advantageous terms, owing to the outbreak of
war between France and Prussia, two collections; one of one
hundred pictures from the gallery of a well-known citizen of
Brussels, and one of seventy-four pictures owned by a dis-
tinguished Parisian gentleman. These were bought at .Mr.
Blodgett’s own expense and risk, but with the intention of
permitting the xMuseum to benefit by his purchase, if the
1 rustees so desired. .Mr. Blodgett’s ov/n statement in a
letter read before the Trustees November 19, 1870, shows the
disinterested character of his offer and refutes the asser-
tion of some men of his day that he had acted in excess
of his authority. He writes, “Should the action of the
undersigned be assumed by the Committee and Board of
Trustees, he proposes to transfer the collection to the .Metro-
politan Museum of Art, ... at the original cost, and
further the undersigned, to insure and protect the Museum,
. . . is willing that the Trustees should have the right to

reject at the time of purchase, any picture or pictures not
fully established by the certificates of the experts . . .

as originals . . . and in the event of such rejection, the

rejected picture or pictures to be returned to the under-
signed, at a valuation to be agreed upon by him and the
Trustees.” Before this generous offer had been accepted,
John Taylor Johnston had assumed one-half of the cost
($116,180.27 including expenses), borrowing on joint ac-
count with Mr. Blodgett $100,000 from the Bank of America.
In March, 1871, the Museum assumed the purchase and

136

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

agreed to pay the amount whenever the requisite funds were
at hand.

Thus by the forceful initiative of two men, the Museum
came into possession of a valuable nucleus towards its per-
manent gallery. When Mr. Johnston first saw a part of the
pictures, he wrote to Mr. Blodgett," 1 have just returned from
a survey of the pictures, with Ward and Hoppin. 1 am
simply delighted. . . . The quality of the collection as a

whole is superior to anything 1 had dared to hope, while the
number of masterpieces is very great and what we have
reason to be proud of. . . . Hoppin and 1 both agreed

that ‘it was very magnanimous in Blodgett not to keep some
of those fine things when he had it in his power. ’ 1 fear 1
couldn’t have done it. I would have had at least to have
taken out that Van Dyck, or perished.” Later Mr. John-
ston added, ‘‘Three days have but deepened my impression
that we have secured a great prize, and 1 do feel desirous to
let you know that Impression, especially as 1 was one of those
that thought you had been somewhat rash in the original
purchase. 1 am very glad of it and only hope all other
rashnesses may turn out so well.” The editor of the
Gazette des Beaux-Arts in turn thought this purchase of suffi-
cient importance to print two articles congratulating the
new museum on its fortunate purchase and describing the
individual pictures.^ It may be well to couple with this early
opinion what Mr. Choate said forty years later, ‘‘Let me say
that the collection bought then on the responsibility of one
man . . . was so good and contained so many old

masters that very few of those he bought have been rejected
or laid aside.”

‘Louis Decamps. Un Musee Transatlantique, in Gazette des Beaux-Arts,
January and May, 1872. The most important of these paintings were
etched by M. Jules Jacquemart and published by Messrs. P. & D. Col-
naghi of London. In this way they became more generally known abroad.

1-^7

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

One other most important accomplishment during 1871
was the passage by the Legislature on April 3th of “an act
in relation to the powers and duties of the Board of Com-
missioners of the Department of Public Parks” of the City
of New York by which among other clauses they were
“authorized to construct, erect, and maintain upon that
portion of the Central Park formerly known as Manhattan
Square, or any other public park, square, or place” in the
city “a suitable fireproof building for the purpose of estab-
lishing and maintaining therein a Museum and Caller}- of
Art by The Metropolitan Museum of Art” at an “aggre-
gate cost of not exceeding a sum of which the annual in-
terest is thirty-five thousand dollars.” The same act
made a similar provision for the American Museum of
Natural Histor\'. Thereby it became lawful for the
Comptroller of the City of New York to create and issue
“a public fund or stock to be denominated the ‘Museums
of Art and Natural History Stock’.”

For several weeks previous to this date a committee
of the Museum working jointly with a committee
from the American Museum of Natural History had exer-
cised all vigilance and discretion in pushing this bill through
the Legislature. They had written letters and persuaded
others to do the same; they had personally repaired to
Albany with petitions signed b}- many prominent New
Yorkers, and had influenced others to reenforce their efforts.

At the fortieth annual meeting of the Museum, Professor
Comfort recalled one incident in these stirring times as
follows: “1 will refer to the petition which was signed b}-
owners of more than one-half of the real estate of New York
City, to the Legislature, requesting that authority be given
to the city to tax itself for one half a million of dollars for
museum buildings to be placed upon a park. 1, represent-
ing this Museum, and a representative of the Museum of

138

THE PERIOD OF ORGANIZATION

Natural History took the petition to Albany. Tweed and
Sweeney were in power then. We arrived there about noon
and about half-past two we were told to see Mr. Tweed and
Mr. Sweeney . . . and the other heads of the party in

power, and to lay our paper before them. . . .

“We arrived there and we were placed in seats behind
Mr. Tweed as he sat at a table, and he said: ‘We will see
what the New York papers say about us to-day,’ and there
they were, and as we handed the paper in, he looked at
it a moment, saw the heading and instantly, with that
celerity of action for which he was noted, he took it to
a room, and said: ‘You will see Mr. Sweeney. He will
take charge of this.’ Then Mr. Sweeney took the paper
and skipped the heading, and looked at the names, and
when he saw the names attached to it, then he turned
back and read the heading. And as 1 watched his face
there was not the quiver of an eye, or twitch of the mus-
cles, but he turned quickly and said: ‘Please inform these
gentlemen that we are the servants of the people. This is
New York. New York wishes this and please inform them
and say that they can see us on two or three details of the
matter, and then this will go through.’

“ We telegraphed to New York and two or three gentlemen
came up, and Mr. Sweeney came and said : ‘ This is just in our
line, in line with our ideas of progress in New York City. We
are the elected and official representatives of the City and you
ask this sum to be given to a Museum to be built on city
property. Now, as representatives of the city we must con-
trol that building,’ and as quick as thought, our Com-
mittee turned and conceded that point, and the statute was
passed, and with that commenced the cooperation of the
municipality with the individual contributors.”

This may well .stand as the close of the period of establish-
ment. The first year of the legal existence of the Museum

139

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

was finished, the first annual report submitted May 8, 1871.
Whatever difficulties the future might present, some things
had been definitely accomplished, and could not be undone.
1 he beginning of a collection of works of art had been
secured, and legislative authority had been given to the
city to erect a museum building.

140

CHAPTER II

THE MUSEUM. IN THE DODWORTH BUILDING

. 1871-1873

CHAPTER 11

THE MUSEUM IN THE DODWORTH BUILDING

1871 — 1873

The next problem that confronted the Museum was to
find some building as conveniently located and suit-
ably arranged as possible for temporary occupancy,
to exhibit the paintings already in the possession of the
Museum, but stored in Cooper Union for want of an exhibition
room. The Dodworth Building, 681 Eifth Avenue, between
53d and 54th Streets, a private residence that had been altered
for Allen DodworthT Dancing Academy was leased December
I, 1871, for 89,000 annually, the lease to expire May i, 1874.
The property included a stable, the rent of which would be
a slight asset for the Museum. This earliest home of the
Museum was exceptionally well constructed for the purpose.
“A skylight let into the ceiling of the large hall where the
poetry of motion had been taught to so many of the young
men and maidens of New York, converted it into a picture
gallery.”^

Representatives of the press and artists were invited here
to a private view of the pictures on Eebruar\’ 17, 1872, and
punch and oysters were served. The opening reception for
subscribers and their friends was held on Eebruary 20th.
We are fortunate in having a memorandum in George P.
Putnam’s handwriting containing the names of the news-

^W. L. Andrews. Bulletin, Vol. II, p. i. In the directories of 1869 to
1871, and again from 1874 for se\ eral years, Mr. Dodworth is recorded as
occupying this building for his dancing academy.

■43

THE METROPOLITAN MLSEUM OF ART

papers and magazines that were to be included in the dis-
tribution of invitations, and certain individuals, who as art
critics or interested friends should not be forgotten. Among
the periodicals we find some no longer published, as The
Home Journal, The Liberal Christian, The Golden Age, the
Albion, The Hearth and Home, and The Galaxy.

We are fortunate also in possessing two letters written by
John Taylor Johnston to William Tilden Blodgett, which
transport us to those days of eager hope, so decisive for good
or ill.

“Februarx' lo, 1872.

“ We are just in the stir and bustle of preparing to open the
Museum. The pictures are hung and look remarkabl}’ well.
Some cracking and blistering has taken place after all the
care with which they were cradled, etc., but not much. The
great question has been about the Loan Exhibition. Sturgis
and the Loan Committee have held back about it, but the
rest of us have been of the opinion that small collections in
the different departments would indicate the breadth of our
designs, while the smallness of our space would sufficiently
explain the lack of quantity. It is now understood that the
center of the exhibition room is to have a row of low cases for
bronzes or whatever they can secure that will not obstruct
the view of the pictures. High cases will succeed when the
novelty of the collection is worn off. My Napoleon goes into
the room north of hall. Captain Alden’s wood carvings are
secured and are to be in the N. E. basement room.^ The

‘Three confessionals and considerable wall paneling, remarkably fine
examples of sixteenth and seventeenth century carved oak, which came
from Ghent, from the suppressed convent of the Bequine sisters, and were
purchased by Colonel Bradford R. .Alden, U. S. A., in London, were lent
to the Museum by .Mrs. .Mden. When the Museum removed to Central
Park, they were taken to New Haven and later became the propert\’ of
the Yale School of the Fine .Arts.

'44

THE DODWORTH BUILDING

sarcophagus on inspection turns out to be a fine work of art,
late Roman, probably a royal tomb. The Westchester
Apollo is still to be investigated. . . . The pictures

overflow the great hall and are to have the best place in
the rooms also. The hanging committee have worked like
beavers.

“ 1 observe what you say about additional purchase of
Dutch and Flemish pictures. Personally 1 should like and
prefer to follow up that school and make the Gallery strong
in one thing, and it may be found judicious to do so. Much
will depend, however, on how our pictures take with the
public. Unless they are a decided success, it may be well
to branch out in some other line before going deeper into
pictures, the more so as our space (is limited).

“Gordon is slowly collecting in the (subscriptions?). The
debt in bank is reduced to 5,000, perhaps some less. It is
a shame to our citizens that the amount was not forth-
coming at once.

“ The general opening is to be on the 20th and we hope to
make it a success. On the 17th we have the press and some
of the artists; on the 19th the Trustees.

“We will soon therefore know what is thought of our
labors so far.

“February 22, 1872.

“Hoppin tells me that he has written you at some length
about our great success in getting together the Artists and
Pressmen. . . . Personally, 1 felt very apprehensive

of the effect of inviting the disaffected artist element and the
gentlemen of the Press, but it all worked very well. One
party who came there with an artist told me afterwards that
they halted for a moment before going in, in front of the

•45

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

building, and the artist told him it was a ‘d — d humbug’
and added he, ‘ 1 thought so too, but when we came out we
thought very diflFerently.'

“Our public reception on the 20th was an equal success.
We had a fine turnout of ladies and gentlemen and all were
highly pleased. The pictures looked splendidly and com-
pliments were so plenty and strong that 1 was afraid the
mouths of the Trustees would become chronically and per-
manently fixed in a broad grin. The Loan Committee
worked hard at the last and got together a few things of
interest, and perhaps it was as well that at the first there
should be little to take off the attention from the pictures
and also that we should be able to announce from time to
time additions to the Loan Exhibition. Vela’s Napoleon^ was
in place and looked splendidly and excited universal admira-
tion. It is better, if anything, than the original and the
marble is perfect. 1 saw it myself, for the first time, on the
reception evening and was perfectly satisfied. W’e have
secured but not yet put up Mr. Alden’s fine woodwork. It
is much finer than we had supposed, having onh' before seen
it in the cellar.

“The Westchester Apollo turns out to be three feet high, a
statuette. We decided, however, to take it.

‘Mr. Rowe presents us with a colossal dancing girl b\'
Schwanthaler, the celebrated German sculptor at .Munich.
It may be very fine, but eight feet of dance is a trial to the
feelings. Hereafter, we must curb the exuberance of donors
except in the article of money, of which latter they may give
as much as they please. The sarcophagus has not yet been
moved up but will be soon. 1 think 1 wrote you that Sturgis
on examination liked it ver}^ much. J. .Augustus Johnson

* This marble by Vincenzo Vela from the John Taylor Johnston Collec-
tion is now exhibited in the Corcoran Gallery of .Vrt in W ashington, D. C.,
and is catalogued as The Last Days of Napoleon 1.

146

THE DODWORTH BUILDING

(the donor) has since seen it and pronounces it a fine speci-
men of the later Roman and probably a royal tomb. It will
be more carefully examined when ‘in situ.’

“We may now consider the Museum fairly launched and

THE DODWORTH BUILDING
68l FIFTH AVENUE

under favorable auspices. People were generally surprised,
and agreeably so, to find what we had. No one had imag-
ined that we could make such a show, and the disposition to
praise is now as general as the former disposition to de-
preciate. We have now something to point to as the
Museum, something tangible and something good. The cry
of humbug can hardly be raised now by anyone. , I

147

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

believe, says very little now about the swindle of the two New
York merchants and the Loan Committee intend to come

down on him for the loan of some of his pretty things.

has forgotten his insulting note declining a post in the
Museum board, and now says he supposes ‘they’ think they
can get along without him. And with others there is the
same indication of a change in the current.

“It would have gratified you to have heard the regret
expressed that you could not have been with us to have
enjoyed the triumph of success after having given so much
time, trouble, and personal risk to the Institution. It was
the only thing wanting to the perfection of the evening.

“Gordon is slowly getting in the money and we are slowly
increasing the list of subscribers. We are also busy with the
question of site and have met the commissioners several times.
It looks very much as if they would consent to our having
Reservoir Square and give the Natural History the vacant
ground on the east side of Central Park. This delighteth
much all. or nearly all, but Church and myself, who are
Central Parkers. Anyhow, we are almost certain to have a
decision made soon and permanently.

’i ours ver>‘ trul)’,

(Signed) John Taylor Johnston.”

From Februar}’ 22nd, as the newspapers announced, the
gallery was open to the public virtually free; that is, admit-
tance was gained by obtaining tickets from the subscribers,
and these were gratuitously distributed to the public in large
numbers. Mondays the gallert’ was closed during the day
for cleaning, but open in the evening from 7 till 10 o’clock;
other week-days it was open from 9 A..M. to 5 P..M. The
first of the long list of Museum catalogues was prepared to
give information about the pictures. It contained the attri-

148

THE DODWORTH BUILDING

butions and comments of the experts, Messieurs Etienne Le
Roy, and Leon Gauchez.

The occupancy of a gallery necessitated the appointment
of a Superintendent, which need was most happily met by
George P. Putnam’s generous offer of his services without
salary for one year, stipulating only that he have an assist-
ant or clerk and his own incidental expenses. Accord-
ingly an assistant was employed for ^12 per week. No one
could come to the position with a greater knowledge of the
situation or a stronger interest in the growth and success
of the Museum than Mr. Putnam. From the moment of
the first suggestion made to the Union League Club to the
time of his death on December 20, 1872, less than a year
after he became Superintendent, he was active in the counsels
of the Museum and untiring in its service. He made the
following report to the Trustees on May 20, 1872, when the
Museum had been open to the public about three months:
“The number of visitors to the Museum to the present time
is about 6,000 — including Artists, Students, Critics, and
Amateurs from other cities and especially a considerable
number of visitors from Boston. The Supt. has taken
pains to learn as accurately as possible the real impression
which the Collection has made upon these Visitors and he
is able to say that the Verdict has not only been favor-
able, without exception, but in nearly every instance, very
agreeable surprise has been expressed in regard to the interest
and excellence of the Collection. Those persons especially
who appear to be most familiar with the Galleries of Europe,
and with Art generally, have been most emphatic and en-
thusiastic in their remarks on our pictures.”

The relationship between the Museum and students who
desired to copy pictures was very early discussed and deter-
mined. On April i, 1872, it was decided that Tuesday,
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings from 9 to 12

•49

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

o’clock should be set apart for students, and that they
should submit one or more studies to a committee to prove
their ability to take advantage of the privilege.

One very weighty question awaited the verdict of the
Executive Committee. A certain lace parasol belonging
to a Mrs. Taylor had been “stolen” from the Hall of the
Museum. The Committee, with due regard for the loser’s
feelings, yet proper caution lest other lace parasols should
disappear, resolved “That this matter, involving a precedent
of some importance, be referred to the Trustees, the Execu-
tive Committee not being empowered by the Constitution to
make such disbursements without special authorit}'; and
that Mrs. Taylor be so informed by the Secretar>’.” Having
followed the fortunes of the lace parasol so far, we turn with
curiosity to the next mention of it and find the Treasurer
authorized to pay $24, the valuation placed upon it.

The Executive Committee certainly lost no time in in-
augurating the custom of giving lectures on art in the
Museum building. On March 6th, they voted to ask
Hiram Hitchcock, later a valued Trustee and the Treasurer
of the Museum, to read to the Trustees and their friends,
his lecture upon General di Cesnola’s discoveries in Cyprus.
This first Museum lecture was delivered on the evening of
the twenty-fifth of .March, and “was listened to with great
pleasure by a large audience.” Onl\’ a month later, April
22nd, came the second .Museum lecture when Russell Sturgis,
jr., spoke on Ceramic Art.

While the 1 rustees were taking up these various lines of
work in their temporar}' gallerx', they were also considering
with the Park Commissioners questions involved in the
grant to them of a permanent building. The site designated
in the law of April 5, 1871 was Manhattan Square, which we

‘ For the law itself see Charter, Constitution, By-Laws, Lease, Laws,
N. 1910, p. 40.

150

THE DODWORTH BUILDING

know today as the location of the American Museum of
Natural History, and the plan suggested was that the two
museums should occupy the same building or buildings upon
the same square. Acting upon this understanding, a special
sub-committee on buildings representing both museums and
consisting of such architects as Messrs. Sturgis, Hunt, Ren-
wick, and Weston, and such men of affairs as Theodore
Roosevelt, drew up a set of recommendations for the design,
which are of interest to us as embodying their opinion of the
needs of museum construction.

"First; The two Museums require very different exhibi-
tion rooms and different arrangements of interiors; they
should therefore be separate and their designs should be
independent each of the other.

“Second: The building of each Museum should be so
planned as to enclose ultimately a court or courts which ma>'
be roofed with glass, the floors of these courts to be con-
tinuous with the floors of the lower or ground stories of the
surrounding buildings.

“Third: The surrounding buildings to be, so far as the
Exhibition rooms are concerned, not more than two stories
high.

“Fourth: The second story to be partly lighted from the
roof, and partly by side light.

“Fifth: The Basement to be high enough and well
lighted enough to be used for packing rooms, rooms for re-
pair and preparation, etc.

“Sixth: The buildings to be perfectly fire-proof; the
basements to be vaulted in brick, concrete, or beton with-
out the use of iron. Cast iron columns not to be used in any
part of the buildings.

“Seventh; The exterior of the buildings to be in stone,
granite, or marble.

“ Eighth: That any designs that may be accepted by the

'51

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Executive Committee of either Museum, whether as final
plans for, or to be recommended to the Commissioners of
Public Parks, should be demonstrable within the limit, so
far as cost is concerned, of the appropriations already made
for the purpose.”

Not long afterward, we find the Trustees favoring a
change of location from Manhattan Square to such other
park or place as the Park Commissioners might adopt.
Reservoir Square, now known as Br\ant Park, adjoining
the present site of the New York Public Librar}-, was the
unanimous choice of the Executive Committee. In accord-
ance with this desire, a special committee presented a
formal petition to the Park Commissioners, asking that
Reservoir Square be set apart for the Museum. The ac-
cessibility of that location, its proximity to railway stations
and the business and theatre sections, would doubtless have
greatly increased the annual attendance, for the Museum
would thus have gone to the people; but on the other hand,
the space available for future expansion would have been
limited. Whatever reasons may have influenced the Park
Commissioners, they determined on the site now occupied,
that part of the Central Park known as the Deer Park,
between Seventy-ninth Street and Eight}-fourth Street,
from Fifth Avenue to the Drive. ^

Immediately after April i, 1872, when this selection was
ratified by the Trustees, the committee of architects of the
Museum began definitely to work at their task, conferring

‘ The wording of the resolution of the Park Commissioners is as follows:
“ Resolved: That this Department approves of designating a site for the
building for the .Metropolitan Museum of .Vrt, on that part of Central
Park between 79th and 84th streets and the Fifth .Avenue and the Drive,
and of designating a site for the building of the .American .Museum of
Natural History on that part of the Central Park west of the Eighth .Av-
enue. and that the President inform these bodies of the action of the
Department.”

152

JUULJUUU

THE DODWORTH BLTLDING

with the newly appointed architect of the Park, Calvert
Vaux. Three years earlier Mr. Vaux with J. W. Mould
had prepared a comprehensive plan for an art museum, when,
as stated elsewhere, Andrew H. Green had conceived
the idea of an art museum erected and equipped by the Park
Commission, and had secured an enabling act for that pur-
pose. Mr. Vaux was distinguished as a landscape architect.
With Frederick L. Olmsted, he presented the successful
design for the laying out of Central Park, and either singly
or with some associate he planned Prospect Park, Brooklyn,
Riverside, and Morningside Parks.

Not until 1874 was the ground for the building in the park
actually broken, and even before that date the Museum had
outgrown its first quarters. As the purchase of the collection
of Dutch and Flemish paintings had occasioned the lease of
the Dodworth Building, so the purchase of another valuable
collection, the Cesnola Collection of Cypriote Antiquities,
necessitated removing to a larger building.

General Louis Palma di Cesnola, the discoverer of the
Cypriote antiquities, later for a quarter of a century the
Director of the Museum, was by birth an Italian nobleman,
by later choice an American citizen. Graduated from the
Royal Military Academy of Turin, he had served with dis-
tinction in the Italian Revolution, the Crimean War, and our
Civil War. In 1865 he was appointed Consul of the United
States at Cyprus. Impressed by the thought that Cyprus
was the meeting point of the ancient races, and so the Greek
settlements there in the heroic period must have derived the
old Eastern civilization from Phoenicia and Eg\’pt, he began
excavations which, carried on from 1865 to 1871, richly re-
warded his labors.

The purchase of this collection was another example of
the independent action of one generous man securing for
America a prize that Europe would gladly have kept.

•53

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

John Taylor Johnston, through Junius S. Morgan in London,
offered ^50,000 for the Cesnola Collection, hoping the Mu-
seum might conclude to assume the purchase.

Fortunately much of the correspondence between General
Cesnola and Mr. Johnston has been preserved. The earliest
letter from General Cesnola was written when by chance an
article in Putnam’s Magazine^ about the Museum had fallen
into his hands in Cyprus. It offers his collection on most
advantageous terms. The following extract contains Gen-
eral Cesnola’s own account of his treasures: “ 1 have the most
valuable and richest private collection of antiquities existing
in the world, which is the result of six years’ labor, in this
famous island, and of a great outla)’ of money. Ever\' object
was found by me, and they are in all more than ten thousand.

“This collection 1 want to sell as a whole, if possible.
. . 1 offer it, therefore, to you as President of the X. .

Museum for sale. As to its price, arbitrators will be named
by both of us, and what the\' sa>' of its worth, 1 will before-
hand agree to accept. In regard to its payment, if it could
not be effected at once, easy terms would be conceded by
me. . . .

“ In six years 1 opened eight thousand ancient Phoenician,
Greek, Assyrian, and Egj ptian tombs, from which 1 extracted
and brought to light vases of a hundred different shapes,
from three feet high to onh’ a few inches; — mortuar>' lamps
with Greek inscriptions, bas-reliefs, etc. — Bronzes of every
description: strigils, specula, fibulas, spear-heads, . . .

etc. etc. — Glass ware of such iridescence that it forms the
great attraction of all visitors, more than one thousand
objects, such as tear bottles, ointment cups or unguentarias,
plates, bottles, etc. etc., bracelets, rings, beads. The most
important of m>' collection are the statues of the famous
Temple of Venus, the discover}' of which Mr. Birch (of the

‘ Putnam’s Magazine, July, 1870.

154

THE DODWORTH BUILDING

British Museum) considers the most important of this
century, with the exception of Mr. Layard’s discovery of
Nineveh.”

The next letter, sent from Cyprus, March 27, 1872, shows
more clearly General Cesnola’s deep desire that his collection
should be kept together, even though with pecuniary sacri-
fice to himself, and that it should be exhibited in America.
After stating that ^24,000 in gold would not cover all his
expenses, he writes: “Mr. Hitchcock is authorized, if a
public museum or other scientific institution of New ^'ork
will purchase my collection, to grant any time for the pay-
ment of its amount, either in instalments or as he deems best,
provided, of course, the money is sure. 1 do not doubt that
you will feel a great interest in seeing that a collection so
large, so ancient and unique, and so valuable in point of
history, as mine is, which has cost so much labor, time, and
money, is secured for America and not scattered. 1 did not
undertake archaeological diggings for a commercial purpose,
and though my collection represents toda}’ my whole fortune
‘in toto,’ yet 1 am disposed to be very reasonable when a
public Institution would like to purchase it. What I desire
above all is that my collection should remain all together and
be known as the Cesnola Collection.” As he in another
letter expressed himself, “ 1 have the pride of my race, and
that of a Discoverer who wants his name perpetuated with
his work if possible.”

General Cesnola’s patriotic spirit is evidenced by his
refusing an offer of £10,000 made by the British Museum
for all the sculptures and inscriptions of Golgos, the most
important features of his discovery, if he would consent
to break up the collection. Instead, he sold the entire
collection to Mr. Johnston for S6o,ooo, though experts in
England assured him it might bring $200,000 if sold abroad
at auction.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Some members of the Museum were in London at the
time, for example, Robert Gordon and Cyrus W. Field.
Having an opportunity to realize what the British Museum
authorities and such a well-known Englishman as the
humanist and statesman, Gladstone, thought of General
Cesnola’s treasures,^ they almost immediately offered liberal
sums towards raising the amount Mr. Johnston had paid Gen-
eral Cesnola. It was, however, not until May, 1874, months
after the collection had been publicly exhibited in New York,
that the Trustees were able to report that a sufficient sum
had been subscribed and the collection had actually become
the property of the Museum. Meantime, General Cesnola
had been employed to unpack, arrange, and classify the col-
lection, thus beginning that long term of service for the
Museum in one capacity or another which ended only with
his death.

The collections were removed from the Dodworth Building
in the spring of 1873. indeed, but a short period,

fifteen months approximately, that the Museum occupied
its first home at 681 Fifth Avenue, but during that time it
had acquired a standing among institutions of art, chiefly
because the Cesnola Collection, then believed to contain
the most ancient examples of art in the world, had been
deposited in the most youthful museum in the world.

‘ Sidney Colvin, the art critic and Cambridge professor, wrote of his
regret that the collection was destined for America, “I can hardly tell you
how disappointed and how sorry I am.”

156

CHAPTER 111

THE MUSEUM IN THE DOUGLAS MANSION

.r

' A

THE DOUGLAS MANSION
Main staircase

FROM A DRAWING BY FRANK WALLER

CHAPTER III

THE MUSEUM IN THE DOUGLAS MANSION

1873 — 1879

The second home of the Museum, which was to
contain the collections until the permanent building
in the Park should be ready for occupancy, was
the house known as the Douglas Mansion, 128 West Eour-
teenth Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, belonging
to the late Mrs. Douglas Cruger. The advantages of this
house are enumerated in the Annual Report, May, 1873,
as follows: “This is a large building, measuring seventy-
five feet front by eighty-five feet deep, and capable, with
a few alterations, of displaying to advantage not only their
present collection, but also the antiquities from Cyprus
and such other objects as they may desire to obtain for a
loan-exhibition. It is near enough to important thorough-
fares to be easily accessible, and is surrounded by spacious
grounds, with a frontage of 225 feet on Fourteenth Street,
upon which grounds new galleries may be built, should
they be required, before the final settlement in Central
Park. The main house is substantial and elegant in its
external appearance; and the halls, apartments, and stair-
cases are large and amply lighted. There is a well-built
coach-house near the house, which can easily be converted
into a picture-gallery of about the same dimensions with
the old one. The mansion itself contains a gallery lighted
from the roof ; and the whole establishment will afford, if

161

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

necessary, five times as much wall-space as is supplied by
the present building in Fifth Avenue.” This was leased
April 25, 1873, for five years at an annual rent of S8,ooo,
though the lease of the Dodworth Building did not expire
until May i, 1874. “The Douglas Mansion in West Four-
teenth Street is still standing, not greatly altered in either its
outward appearance or interior arrangement. . . . It is

occupied by the Training School of the Salvation Arm\',
whose National Headquarters, a nine-story fireproof build-
ing, 75 feet wide, adjoins it on the East, built upon a part
of the ‘spacious grounds’ referred to by the Trustees of the
•Museum in their Report.”^

The expenses of the Museum were now heavy. Most
of the 1250,000 raised had been spent for the purchase of
works of art. The appropriation of $500,000 for erecting
the building in Central Park was of no immediate help, as
a gallery must meantime be leased. The Trustees, arguing
that the legislators by their former appropriation had put
themselves on record as responsible for providing a place
to exhibit the Museum collection, memorialized the Legis-
lature for the sum of $30,000 to be supplied in 1873 b\' the
tax levy for the rent and other necessary expenses of
exhibiting collections which would be virtually free to the
people, “as important and beneficial an agent in the instruc-
tion of the people as any of the schools or colleges of the
city,” and “afford the most refining and at the same time
innocent recreation for the public.” The act, as passed
by the Legislature, enabled the Park Department to apply
annually a sum not exceeding $30,000 for the maintenance
of both museums, thus securing for the needs of each .Museum
but $i 5,000.

The financial situation necessitated what the officers

* William Loring .Andrews. The Home of the .Museum in Fourteenth
Street, in .Museum Bulletin, Vol. 2, page 4.

162

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

considered a merely temporary expedient, contrary to their
policy and to their wishes, the charging of an admission fee.
At first the price of admission was fixed at 50 cents, but in
three months this was reduced to 25 cents and Monday
was made a free day. This seems to have continued the

THE DOUGLAS MANSION
128 WEST FOURTEENTH STREET

price during the remainder of the occupancy of the Douglas
Mansion, but hours of opening and free and pay days were
subjects that came up for frequent discussion. With May
I, 1875, two days, Monday and Thursday, were made free
days. The annual reports chronicle the satisfaction that
the Trustees of the Museum felt in the way this opportunity
was used. “The public,” says the Report of 1875, “has
signified its appreciation of the additional privileges by a
constant, large, and ever crowded attendance on those days.
The average daily attendance on free days has been 577.”

163

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Less successful was the experiment of opening the Museum
in the evening, to accommodate those engaged in business.
For three months, from February to May in 1874, the
Museum was open from 7 o’clock to 10 o’clock Tuesday,
Thursday, and Saturday evenings, but the attendance was
insufficient to meet the expenses. However, the renewed
clamor to have the Museum collections available in the
evening led to a second attempt which proved equally
discouraging, though this time Monday and Saturday
evenings were selected and the former was made a free
evening. Even after the Museum had taken possession of
its permanent building admission hours and fees were for
years mooted questions. Fifty cents was originally charged
in the Park, but as before for only a few months, since it was
discovered that about two-thirds of the people who came
on pay days went away again when they found the entrance
fee so high. Monday and Tuesday were the first pay days
in the Park. William C. Prime, in a letter to Gen. Cesnola
in 1880, suggested making Monday a 25c. day and Tuesday
a IOC. or even a 5c. day. This experiment in bargain days
was not carried out, but Tuesday was later made a free day
and Friday a pay day.

Another method of increasing the funds immediately
available for Museum expenses was by forming a new
class of membership, annual members, who by the payment
of ^10 each year should be entitled to a ticket admitting
two persons whenever the Museum was open and invitations
to all receptions given by the Officers of the Museum.
In response to this appeal to men whose s>mpathy was with
the Museum, but whose means would not permit their
becoming Fellows or Patrons, about 600 annual members
were enrolled.

The Museum was now free to adopt the policy the Trus-
tees had long advocated, that of holding loan exhibitions.

164

in September, 18731 contains 112 entries. The paintings
filled two galleries, Gallery H of Modern Paintings, markedly
of the European schools, with only a scattering representa-
tion of American artists, and Gallery G of Old Masters.
Among the first we note Turner’s Slave Ship, now in the

165

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

They had sufficient room and were to occupy one building
long enough to make loan exhibitions thorough!}’ practicable.
The first catalogue of a loan exhibition of paintings, issued

THE DOUGLAS MANSION
VIEW IN THE GALLERIES
FROM THE PAINTING BY FRANK WALLER

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Boston Museum of Fine Arts, lent by John Taylor John-
ston, and Head of a Young Man, by James McNeill Whistler,
lent by Samuel P. Avery; among the second, paintings
attributed to Titian, Tintoretto, Ghirlandajo, Andrea del
Sarto, and Leonardo da Vinci. The lenders, 32 in number,
include such well-known collectors as John Taylor Johnston,
Morris K. Jesup, J. H. Van Alen, Robert Hoe, Robert L.
Stuart, Robert L. Kennedy, William T. Blodgett, H. G. Mar-
quand, and R. M. Olyphant; such artists as Frederic E.
Church and John La Large; and one daughter of an artist,
Miss Morse, who lent some of her father’s works, as well as
paintings by European artists.

Another of these early loan exhibits recalls the days of
the New York Gallery of Fine Arts, for it was a collection
wholly American in character, a memorial exhibition of 38
paintings by John F. Kensett, his last summer’s work, and
the three paintings. The Cross and the World, by Thomas
Cole. The Kensetts, given to the Museum by Thomas
Kensett, afforded an opportunity to appreciate the abilit\
and astonishing industry of the artist, who had been a
valued associate in the Museum counsels until his death in
December, 1872.

Subsequent loan exhibitions in the Fourteenth Street
building included statuary as well as paintings; engravings,
etchings, and mezzotints, belonging to James L. Claghorn of
Philadelphia; arms and armor and other objects, lent b\'
H. Cogniat; pottery and porcelain, the property of Samuel
P. Avery and William C. Prime; laces and embroideries,^
lent by Andrew MacCallum and the Castellan! Collections
of antiquities and majolica. The last two were deposited
in the Museum for public exhibition in the hope that sufFi-

‘ These consisted of "a number of early sixteenth century Italian embroid-
eries — drawnwork, cutwork, colored drawnworks in silks, in part from the
Grecian Islands under the dominion of X'enice, and fragments of the transi-
tional punto in aria.”

166

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

dent interest might be awakened in them to effect their
purchase by private subscription. In the first case, this
hope was fulfilled, and the laces, purchased in 1879, largely
through the generous contribution of one friend, became
the nucleus of the present collection, one of the largest in
existence; in the second case, the purchase was not con-
summated, owing partly to the financial depression of 1877,
and partly to the feeling that the price asked was excessive.
The Castellani Collections had been exhibited at the Cen-
tennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, where many lovers of
art seeing them had longed to keep such valuable works
of art permanently in America. The owner. Signor Alessan-
dro Castellani, agreed to place them in the Museum for
the first six months of 1877, with the privilege of extending
the time till the end of the year if the Trustees so wished,
on the understanding that the Trustees should make an effort
to procure funds for their purchase. The proceeds of the
exhibit and the sale of catalogues were to be divided equally
between Signor Castellani and the Museum. If, however,
either collection was finally purchased, whatever had already
been given to Signor Castellani should be deducted from
the purchase price. After exhibiting the collections nearly
a year the Trustees reluctantly abandoned all hope of owner-
ship and shipped them back to Europe.

Besides these different collections, individual works of
art of many sorts were lent for shorter or longer periods.
A general guide to the rooms, issued probably in 1875, gives
us some conception of the varied character of the exhibits,
both those lent and those owned by the Museum. Eor
this reason it seems worth copying in part.

GROUND ELOOR

Entrance Hall

Antique and Modern Statues and Busts.

167

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Easi Side of Entrance Hall

Room A (front), jCesnola Collection ; Pottery, Bronze
Articles, etc.

B (center), fCesnola Collection; Pottery.

C (back),

tCases of Greek Vases.

West Side of Entrance Hall

Room L (back). Loan Collection; Wood Carvings, Old
Printed Books, etc.

.\l (center), fReproductions of Works of Art in the
South Kensington Museum, London.
fCopper Plates Engraved for Audu-
bon’s “ Birds of America.”

Loan Collection Electrotj peof the .Mil-
ton Shield (original in the South Ken-
sington Museum) ; Wood Carvings, etc.
“ N (front). Loan Collection; Pottery and Porcelain,
from the Trumbull-Prime Collection;
Sevres, Dresden, and other Porcelain.
” “ jAncient Peruvian Pottery; Paintings,

the “Nine .Muses.”

Gallery of Sculpture {South of Entrance Hall)
tCesnola Collection; Statues, Statuettes, etc.
tSarcophagus (Roman) from Tarsus.

Loan Collection; Sarcophagus from Golgos, Ctprus.

Room leading from Gallery of Sculpture to Picture Gallery
tCesnola Collection ; Sarcophagus, Statues, Bas Reliefs,
Stelae with Inscriptions, etc.

Loan Collection; Bas Reliefs from Cyprus.
tPaintings by Old Masters.

Picture Gallery
tPaintings by Old .Masters.

Series of lo Etchings b\' Jacquemart, from some of the
t Property of the .Museum.

168

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

most Valuable of these Paintings, for sale at the Museum.
Price, $2^.)

Loan Collection; Bronze Bust of William Cullen Bryant.

PLAN OF ROOMS IN THE DOUGLAS MANSION

FIRST FLOOR

East Side

Room D (back). Loan Collection; Porcelain, Ivory Carv-
ings, Enamels, Bronzes, Lacquers,
Paintings, Papers, etc.; chiefly Japa-
nese and Chinese.

“ E (center), fCesnola Collection; Objects in Stone,
Terra Cotta, etc.

“ E (front) tCesnola Collection ; Ancient Glass,
Articles in Gold and Silver; Cypriote
Inscriptions on Stone.

t Property of the Museum.

169

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Room G (center, front), Loan Collection; Paintings b}-
Old Masters.

tPhotographs, etc.; (Revolving Stand).

H (Picture Gallery), Loan Collection; Modern
Paintings.

W est Side

Room 1 (front), tKensett Paintings.

Loan Collection; Carvings, Enamels,
Miniatures, Antique Watches, Coins,
etc.

J (center). Loan Collection; Arms, Armor, etc.

K (back), Loan Collection; Oriental Porcelain
from the Aver\- Collection; Ivory Carv-
ings, Enamels, Lacquers, etc.

The first year of loan exhibitions demonstrated two facts
without question: first, that the number of valuable works
of art, both ancient and modern, in private hands in New
York and throughout the country was so great that the
Museum, even in its larger quarters, could exhibit but a
small part of them; and second, that the American collector,
whether a member of the Museum or not, was most generous
and public-spirited in lending his treasures.

The year 1876, the centennial year of American inde-
pendence, was noteworthy as well in the history of art,
for then occurred the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia,
which produced an artistic quickening, a growing apprecia-
tion of art over the entire country. With this exhibition
the Trustees of our Museum were in heartiest accord; and
when in the spring of 1876, a circular letter, signed b\
Parke Godwin, proposed a Centennial Summer Exhibition
of New York’s private collections of art, on the principle
that New York ought to furnish to the many visitors of the

t Property of the Museum.

170

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

centennial year more than its ordinary sources of entertain-
ment, the Museum was very ready to cooperate. In this
exhibit the National Academy of Design united with the
Museum; common committees were appointed; part of the
pictures obtained — 580 in number, from 58 contributors —
were shown in the Museum and part in the Academy
of Design; when the proceeds were divided the two organ-
izations shared the profits, the Museum receiving 40%,
the Academy 60%. During the 220 days approximately
that the exhibition was open, from June 23rd to Novem-
ber 10th, the paying admissions amounted to 154,441;
the catalogues sold, to 46,033; and the net proceeds to
nearly 138,000. To both institutions the financial help
was very timely. A perusal of the catalogues of the two
exhibits discloses the names of the usual contributors to
loan exhibitions. As each lender’s group of paintings is
kept separate, a good opportunity is afforded to see what
in each case was thought worthy of a place in an exhibition
that was to convey to people from all over the country some
conception of the status of art in the homes of New York.
In both exhibitions, in the National Academy of Design
as in the Metropolitan Museum, only about one-fourth
of the paintings were the work of American artists and the
remaining three-fourths were by modern European artists,
English, Erench, and German.

Two years before, in 1874, the Cesnola Collection had
been acquired by the Museum through the subscriptions of
many public-spirited citizens. General Cesnola himself had
arranged and classified the collection, and had returned to
Cyprus for further excavations, so far as his consular duties
would permit. His success was even greater than his most
sanguine expectations. In 1874, he sent to the Museum
a fine collection of gold ornaments and gems of Phoenician
and early Greek workmanship, in this line the entire result

171

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

of his excavations. For this collection Mr. Johnston, the
President of the Museum, advanced the purchase price, which
was later repaid to him. To General Cesnola in his continu-
ance of the excavations, further reward came in the dis-
covery of what was called the Curium Treasure, supposed
to belong to a period at least 650 years before Christ, found
forty feet beneath the present surface of the ground, under
the Temple of Curium, evidently in the treasure vaults of
the temple.

As the Museum had been financially unable to make any
agreement with General Cesnola, he was compelled to seek a
purchaser abroad. The French government offered him
300,000 francs or $60,000 in gold for the Curium Treasure
and a selection of the other objects; the British Museum
offered £10,000 or §50,000 in gold for the Curium Treasure
only, and desired an answer to its offer within three da} s.
General Cesnola offered to sell it to The Metropolitan
Museum of Art for the same sum, agreeing to payment in
instalments of $20,000 each. At a special meeting of the
Trustees, a sudden determination was reached to appeal
to the friends of the Museum for help in this crisis. The
response to the appeal was instantaneous. W ithin a few
days §40,000 was pledged, and the entire collection was
secured for New York. By a succession of cablegrams
which passed within ten days between John Taylor John-
ston and General Cesnola, the purchase was made. Upon
the receipt of .Mr. Johnston’s last cablegram, “W'e accept
entire collection,” General Cesnola replied in words that
show his strong personal interest in the .Museum, “All right!
three heart\- cheers for our dear New ^'ork .Museum."
Certainly the generosity of General Cesnola is obvious
throughout the transaction.

During this part of the Museum’s existence it was develop-
ing the man>-sided interests of an important institution of

172

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

art. For example, it was entering into fraternal relationship
with other museums. In 1874 the Corcoran Gallery of Art
in Washington gave a series of photographs of objects in
that gallery to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and re-
ceived in return a series of the etchings made by M. Jules
jacquemart, and photographs of the Museum collections.
Annua! reports were exchanged with various other institu-
tions, as the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and the Pennsyl-
vania Academy of the Fine Arts. Finding tariff regulations
a hindrance to the acquisition of works of art, the Trustees
corresponded with other societies to secure by unanimous
action, if possible, the admission of all articles over fifty
years old free of duty.^

Again, the initial steps toward a photographic department
were taken through the generous offer of Messrs. Prime
and Hoe to furnish photographs of ob ects in the Museum
at their own expense, on the agreement that all profits on
the sale should be devoted by them to a fund for the purpose
of increasing the stock of photographs. When they deemed
the supply of negatives sufficient, the original cost was
refunded to them, and the photographs sold for the benefit
of the Museum. An agreement was also entered into with
Messrs. Tiffany and Co., giving them the exclusive right to
manufacture reproductions of works of art in the Museum.

'Apparently no definite results followed immediately upon this attempt
to secure concerted action for the improvement of tariff regulations.
However, works of art, regardless of their age, when imported by certain
institutions, were admitted free of duty subject to certain conditions
under the tariff act of 1883 and have been so admitted under the sub-
sequent acts, including the present tariff law of 1909. The tariff enact-
ment of 1883 provided for the free entry of collections of antiquities,
while the act of 1890 limited the term antiquities to such articles as were
suitable for souvenirs or cabinet collections, and which had been produced
prior to the year 1700. This provision was continued in the act of 1894,
but dropped from the tariff law of 1897. The tariff act of 1909 now in
force divides works of art into two classes and admits without duty one
class if over twenty years old and the other if over one hundred years old.

173

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

In its educational influence, also, the Museum was accom-
plishing gratifying results. The students of Cooper Union,
the Art Students’ League, and the Brooklyn Art Association,
and other students of art were given free tickets of admission
upon application. This side of Museum work has always
been regarded as most important. The Annual Reports
repeatedly call attention to its value. In the report sub-
mitted in May, 1875, we read, “The Museum has had its
effect for good. Several schools have introduced the history
and principles of the fine arts into their courses of education.
Teachers, accompanied by scholars, frequently visit the
Museum to examine illustrations of the immediate subjects
of their study, and large numbers of young persons, especially
young ladies, are among the most frequent visitors and the
most careful students of works of art.” In the next report,
the pleasure of the Trustees in this phase of the Museum’s
work is expressed as follows: “The Trustees take especial
satisfaction ... in observing the number of artisans
who visit the Museum for gaining instruction in their
respective arts. It is also proper to notice the evidence from
outside the galleries that the Museum has already produced
somewhat of its designed effect in directing the tastes of the
community to a higher standard than was formerly indicated.
This evidence is found in abundance. Styles of household
and home decoration are materially changing in our city
and in the country at large. . . . Our citizens are

beginning to gather around them objects of artistic beauty
for the adornment of the rooms in which they live, and in
which their families grow up, and thus children are sur-
rounded by the refining and elevating influences of art. . .

Without falling into the error of claiming this manifest
advance in American art-tastes as solely and wholly the
result of our work, the Members of The Metropolitan .Mu-
seum of Art have reason to be satisfied that they have been

174

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

largely influential in producing it.” Through its guide books
and catalogues, also, of which a number had been issued by
this time, the Museum was exerting an educational influence.
During this period, as well as the preceding, the duties

PROPOSED PLAN FOR THE MUSEUM
BY CALVERT VAUX AND J. WREY MOULD

of the Trustees were twofold: those involved in the actual
daily conduct of the Museum and those relating to its future
welfare; that is, in planning for the erection of the per-
manent building in the Park. This portion of their woiilk„
necessarily done quietly, did not come to public notice,,
but it took much time and required knowledge, tact, and
decision. Calvert Vaux, then employed by the Park Com-

175

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

mission, was working on the plans and specifications. The
understanding was that Mr. Vaux should be in frequent
consultation with the Executive Committee of the Museum
and should work in conformity with its wishes. His first
plans seemed to the Museum officials far too “magnificent
and elaborate,” and others which were simpler and less
expensive were submitted and accepted. The special com-
mittee of architects appointed by the Museum to superintend
the building reported suggested changes on the first plans
as follows: “Your Committee have always believed, and
in published reports have stated that any plan for the
Museum should include a Court of moderate size, which
should admit of being roofed with glass; that this Court
should be not less than lOO feet square and will be well
adapted to its purpose if of that size, that the buildings
surrounding it should be about 30 feet wide on an average
and should have a ground stor\’, the floor of which should
be on a level with the floor of the Court, thus making a con-
tinuous floor ground or first stor\’ 160 or 170 feet square;
that this story would afford excellent and altogether satis-
factory light, space, and accommodation for Works of Art
of all classes other than pictures; that pictures are provided
for by the rooms of the second story of the building sur-
rounding the Court, in which rooms or galleries about i .000
running feet of wall would be provided, all perfectl\- lighted
from above. Now it is obviously of great importance that
the building to be erected at once, with the half million
already appropriated, should be made to include something
of each part of the building: — some picture galler\', some
glass-roofed court, and some of the cloister or side-lighted
gallert' surrounding the court.” This report was signed b\'
Russell Sturgis, Richard Morris Hunt, and James Renwick.

7'he contention of the T rustees — a wise stand, we think —
was that the estimate for the building should not exceed

176

PROPOSED ELEVATION AND FLOOR PLANS
BY CALVERT VAUX AND [. WREY MOULD

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

^400,000, leaving $100,000 for the contingencies that must
always be reckoned on, and for fitting up and equipping
the building for its special use. The Trustees cared far
less for exterior ornateness than for interior effectiveness.
When Mr. Vaux had changed his plans, the shell of the
building was constructed. Even then, the Trustees were
compelled to ask for important changes in the interior.
Their criticism was not against the building as such, but
against its adaptability for the exhibition of their collections.
Fortunately, both Mr. Vaux and the Park Commissioners
were most cordial in their desire to conform to the wishes
of the Trustees. But Museum building was a new form
of architectural work in America. Thus it was but natural
that differences of opinion should occur, even with the
heartiest good will on the part of each person.

The cost of the Central Park building was kept within
the half million dollars appropriated, with a slight margin
for alterations and additions, but no money remained to
pay for moving the collections and fitting up the new
building. Accordingly, the Museum must again have
recourse to the Legislature. To them application was made
to authorize the Board of Estimate and Apportionment
to include in the tax levy in 1879 and 1880 sufficient amounts
for these purposes By the law passed June 3, 1878, $30,000
was to be appropriated during two years.

Another task for the legal minds among the Trustees was
securing from the Park Commissioners a suitable lease of
the building the Museum was so soon to occupy. The
original draft of this lease was made by Joseph H. Choate
for submission to the City authorities. It was duly
executed and recorded on December 24, 1878. By this
agreement^ the City of New 'I'ork was to be regarded

' For the wording of the lease, see Charter, Constitution, Bj'-Laws,
Lease, Laws, N. Y., 1910, page 31.

178

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

as the sole owner of the building, which it agreed to keep in
repair except if damaged by fire; the Museum was to have the
exclusive use of the building and full and exclusive property
rights to all collections in the building. The Museum agreed

TRANSVERSE SECTION OF PROPOSED MUSEUM PLAN
BY CALVERT VAUX AND J. WREY MOULD

on its part to keep the building open from ten o’clock a. m.
until half an hour before sunset, on four days in the week,
and on all legal or public holidays except Sundays, free
of charge, and on the remaining days on such terms of
admission as they saw fit, provided that professors and
teachers of the public schools of the city or other free
institutions of learning in the city should be admitted to

179

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

every privilege of the Museum granted to any other persons.
By this lease the partnership between the city authorities
and the Museum Trustees was fully 'established. The
Museum was henceforth to be a free public institution. The
contract was unique in its character and has secured constant
harmony and cooperation between the Trustees and the City,
and the fact that it has undergone no substantial change in
the thirty-four years that have since elapsed is significant
proof of its value.

The Trustees were now ready to take active measures
for closing the Fourteenth Street gallery, removing the
collections to the Museum’s own building, and there instal-
ling them. February 14, 1879, was made the date of the
final reception at the Douglas Mansion and the exhibition
there was declared closed. According to a newspaper,
there was “a great crowd” and ‘a stalwart crush” that
evening. The task of safe!}- and systematical!}' transferring
the collections from their old quarters to their new home
was one of considerable magnitude. Upon General Cesnola.
who had been appointed Secretary in iSyyd devolved much
of the planning and a large share of the performance. His
hours were not confined to any stipulated number, but he
was at work early and late. In his memorandum of work
to be executed in the new building before the removal of

' For se\ eral > ears two men, the .Assistant Superintendent, H. Gordon
Hutchins, and the .Assistant Secretary, Thomas Bland, had faithfully
conducted the affairs of the .Museum as the only paid members of the staff.
Mr. Hutchins was employed first as a caretaker and janitor when the Fifth
Avenue building was leased, but pro\ed himself so capable that he was
made .Assistant Superintendent with an increase of salary and continued to
hold that office until the appointment of General Cesnola. Some idea
of Mr. Hutchins’ various duties may be gained from a letter written b\'
Russell Sturgis, which reads, "He has often been employed thirteen or
fourteen hours a day, for several days together, in \ er3- \ aried occupations: —
answering the questions of \ isitors, writing, classifying, attaching numbers
and labels, and (during the evening and early morning) arranging objects
in cases or hanging pictures.”

180

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

the collections from Fourteenth Street, we find for the
Secretary’s room, among other furnishings, “curtains to
the three windows, gas fixtures,” and “to render opaque the
lower part of the glass windows to keep curious people from
looking inside the room when 1 am at work.” Thus he was
preparing for the long hours upon which he was soon cheer-
fully and eagerly to enter. Recognition of the faithful and

THE FIRST BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK
FROM AN ILLUSTRATION IN THE DAILY GRAPHIC

gratuitous services of General Cesnola as Secretary came in
1879 when he was appointed to the position of Director, or
Manager of the Museum, thus receiving a salary. The
Museum now needed a more centralized organization with
one man directly in touch with its varied interests. Fortu-
nate indeed were the Trustees to obtain a man whose heart
was in his work.

The Trustees also labored long and hard. The buoyancy
of their enthusiasm carried them happily through much work
that otherwise might have been termed drudgery. One

181

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

newspaper writer of the day, recognizing the debt the com-
munity owed to a comparatively few men, called the atten-
tion of others to their manifold labors as follows:

“ Looking over the last annual report of the trustees to
the members it appears that the entire number of con-
tributors to the fund, in sums large and small, is only about
four hundred; that the contributions have amounted to
^325,000, and that the trustees have among themselves given
about one-fourth of the whole amount. This is the mone\'
account, but the amount of time and attention expended
by the trustees can scarcely be summed up. It appears
that up to the spring of 1879, when they moved to the Park,
the entire labor and supervision had been done by trustees
in person, and that this required a large amount of dail\-
work and probably night work as well cannot be doubted.
When it is remembered that these gentlemen are well-known
business men, each having his own responsibilities and
that they have done not only advisor\' work but have under-
taken the personal labor of going around to borrow objects
of art for the loan exhibitions, hanging pictures and handling
porcelains, glass, etc., paying workmen and doing all the odd
jobs, as well as the art work of a growing museum, it may
be seen that they are working trustees. The removal of
the vast collection of Cypriote potteries, statuary, glass,
bronzes, and other objects and paintings and marble statues
from the Fourteenth Street Museum to the Park was not
only superintended during six weeks by trustees but ever\'
separate fragile object was packed at one place and unpacked
at the other by the gentlemen themselves, and the result
repaid them, for not a vase or cup was broken. It might
well be thought that they expect some reward; but the fact
is that they have had no other end in view than the satis-
faction of accomplishing a great thing for the working-men,
artisans, artists, and art lovers in New ^'ork. This reward

182

THE DOUGLAS MANSION

is theirs. The Museum of Art, considering that it is a result
of only nine years’ work, is almost a miracle in this age
of work for pay.”^

The facts bear out the statements of this newspaper writer
in every particular. For instance. General Cesnola himself
packed many of the objects at the Fourteenth Street Build-
ing and William C. Prime and William^ Loring Andrews un-
packed them personally at the Museum’s own building in
the Park. An employee of the Park Department, who had
been delegated to act as watchman at the new building,
after watching these two Trustees for an hour as they lifted
object after object from the moving van and safely deposited
them in the large hall, took off his coat and helped.

It may not be amiss to quote what Honorable Joseph H.
Choate, one of the Trustees, who gave the address at the
opening of the Museum, said on this same point: “1 will
not call a blush to the cheeks of my associates, who sit
around me by telling how they labored and suffered during
these ten tedious years to bring to pass the little that this hour
has realized. But some of them have poured out their money
like water, and each in his degree has given unstinted time
and study to the advancement of their cherished purpose.

“Of course, such efforts in a field before untried have
not been made without some mistakes. . . . But, if

we have committed errors, it has been at our own expense;
if time and labor have been wasted, they have been only our
own; if money has been misspent, it was our own money
and that of a few generous friends, who zealously shared our
errors; and here to-day we bring before you the net result
of all our labors, all our aspirations, and all our mistakes.”

As we read the correspondence and the minutes of the
meetings held in those years, we are deeply impressed by
the conviction that we, as an institution, possessed something
* N. Y. Evening Post, March 19, 1880.

18^

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

in the initial enthusiasm and joyous service of the founders,
those dauntless men who worked for the Museum as if it
were the personal possession of each man and its success
depended upon him, that the esprit de corps of no staff of
men trained in museum work, however faithful and capable,
can ever equal.

184

CHAPTER IV

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

1880-1888

GENERAL LOUIS PALMA DI CESNOLA
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH

CHAPTER IV

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

1 880- 1 888

The opening of The Metropolitan Museum building,
which marked the end of a nomadic existence lasting
ten years, occurred March 30, 1880. ‘“Can you
believe it?’ cried one dignified trustee to another, slapping
the other heartily on the back. ‘Can you realize that the
thing really exists?’” This incident, quoted by a New York
newspaper^ as occurring at the opening, may well have been
true and perhaps duplicated many times, in spirit, at least.
It certainly expresses in a popular fashion the glow of
satisfaction that must have come to the Trustees at reaching
this epoch in the Museum’s career. The Museum was,
indeed, not a ripened, perfected organism, as the editor of
the Evening Post intended to say when the types twisted his
phrase into ‘‘not a refined, perfected organism,” a statement
for which the editor duly apologized on the following day.^
Even the building was not finished; it was but a section of
the structure as planned, and so was not imposing or prepos-
sessing in external appearance. But what had already been
accomplished was so well done as to give abundant promise
for the future.

As members of the press were invited to the Museum for a
private view on March 29th, the newspapers of March 30th
‘N. Y. World, March 30, 1880.

^N. Y. Evening Post, March 30, 1880.

189

IHE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

gave copious expression to a feeling of surprise and pleasure
over what had nov/ been attained. The hanging of the
pictures especially received much favorable comment, yet
it is interesting to note in passing that the trustees, notwith-
standing the emphasis they placed on the educational side of
Museum work, apparently made no attempt to arrange the
pictures according to schools. One newspaper found in
the hanging and the collections “brains, beauty, and bal-
ance.”^ “The Hanging Committee,” said the article, “has
done the most remarkable and admirable work ever seen
in this country at a public exhibition of paintings.
The features of this work are conspicuously two; the
system of bold or delicate and suggestive balancings, and
the commingling of Americans and foreigners without respect
to persons. You walk through the two large western gal-
leries and you feel that American art is not so bad after all,
because you see that it stands up like a man by the side of

its fellows and neither blushes nor faints The

eye is really not shocked to find a Gerome balancing an
Eastman Johnson, a Troyon balancing a W illiam Magrath,

a Bouguereau balancing a Henry A. Loop The

most striking of all these balancings, however, is that of the
Bouguereau — an upright of a }oung woman holding her
brother in her arms — with Mr. Henr}’ A. Loop’s Aenone,
in which, it seems to us, the Hanging Committee have done
this American artist the nicest turn imaginable and at the
same time practicable. Lor the first time in his life .Mr.
Loop has the honor of being taken b\' the hand by a commit-
tee of his fellow-painters, led to the side of the ever-popular
Bouguereau, and spoken of in public in this wise; ‘Ladies
and gentlemen, you see before \ou two estimable men,
whose aesthetic aspirations are homologous if not oleaginous.
One of them has swung around the world amid the jingling of
'N. Y. Evening Post, March 29, 1880.

190

THE FIRST BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK (DETAILS)

FROM AN ILLUSTRATION IN FRANK LESLIE’S ILLUSTRATED NEWSPAPER
DRAWN BY H. A. OGDEN

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

applause and shekels; the other — is an American. See
for yourselves now how like brothers they are; how each one
of them, as it were, bears the same strawberry mark. If,
then, you buy Bouguereau, why not order a sample of the
other also?’”

In addition to the pictures owned by the Museum there
was exhibited a representative collection of fifty-five of the
works of the late William M. Hunt, borrowed from all parts
of the country, many of them previously shown in the Boston
Museum of Fine Arts. Among these were the stud}- for his
Flight of Night, as made for the Capitol in Albany, which has
recently been purchased by the .Museum, and the Girl at a
Fountain, bequeathed to the Museum in 1908 by .Miss Jane
Hunt. There had been gathered also a loan collection of
over two hundred and fifty pictures, lent by nearly a hun-
dred people. “At a time,” says the Evening Post, “when
the very term ‘loan collection’ is a bee in picture-owners’
bonnets, it [the Museum] has succeeded in stirring deepl}’
the generosity of that troubled class of mortals, and has
organized an exhibition extraordinar}’ for beauty, for cost-
liness, and for excellence.”^ William H. Vanderbilt, then in
Europe, telegraphed to the trustees that the}- might help
themselves to any ten pictures in his house, and as Samuel
P. Avery is quoted to have said, “ You may be sure we took
the best he had.”^ The ten chosen were Jacque’s Shepherd
and Flock, Dupre’s Landscape, Diaz’ Forest of Fontainebleau,
Lefebvre’s La Sposa di Torrente, Villegas’ The Rare V’ase,
Erskine Nicol’s Looking for a Safe Investment, Madou’s
Elemish Cabaret, Corot’s Dance of the N}-mphs, Mex er von
Bremen’s What Has Mother Brought?, and Van Marcke’s
Cattle. Since 1886 most of these and many other paintings
have been exhibited in Galler}- 16 as a loan from George

*N. Y. Evening Post, March 29, 1880.

“'N. Y. World, March 30, 1880.

192

THE FIRST BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK (INTERIOR VIEW)
FROM AN ILLUSTRATION IN HARPER’S WEEKLY

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

W. Vanderbilt. Approximately three-eighths of the paintings
lent were by American artists; the remaining five-eighths, by
representatives of various European schools of painting.

To get a glimpse of the Museum as it looked when ready for
the opening, turn to another newspaper clipping. “Near
the eastern end of the main hall, under that immense roof
which from the outside is so suggestive of a hothouse, is
seen first of all a modest platform, on which are modest little
camp-chairs for the distinguished guests of to-morrow, and a
modest little box-desk for those of them that are to speak.
Sit on one of these chairs, and at your right and left appear
long rows of glass cases containing loaned curiosities in
porcelains, manuscripts, missals, gold ornaments, repousse
and chased work, carvings, bronzes, Limoges enamels, and
what not. Behind them are larger glass cases with their
Cypriote antiquities — the pottery of ancient Cyprus, the
statuary of ancient Cyprus. The specimens have room
enough now, and they look comfortable. From the long
southern and northern galleries depend tapestries old and
resplendent; while in one of the galleries is the Avery Col-
lection of porcelains and in the other the C} priote glass and
gold, the most iridescent pieces of glass being hung where
their effect is undisturbed. Chinese ivor\’ carvings, \’enetian
glass, and Eastern lacquer ware and curios arrange them-
selves in cases b)' themselves. You can take an}' standard
work on Cyprus, Greece, Italy, or Japan, and pick out } our
own illustrations for it in the Metropolitan Museum.”^

The plans for the opening day included a reception and
luncheon given at one o’clock by John Taylor Johnston
at his home, 8 Fifth Avenue, and the ceremon}' of opening at
3.30 p. M. at the Museum. For the latter 3,500 invitations
had been issued, and many more requests had been received.
Long before the hour for opening, a throng stood shivering in
’N. Y. Evening Post, .March 29, 1880.

•94

UPPEn FLOOR.

SOUTH.

M.MX FLOOP
sorTU.

NOltTU.

GKOOND FLOOR.

SUDTU.

THE FIRST BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK

FLOOR PLANS

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

the chill March wind, waiting for the doors to swing back.
The exercises consisted of prayer by Henr\' C. Potter,
D. D., then Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, later Bishop
of New York; the delivery of the Building to the Trustees,
by the President of the Public Parks, James F. Wenman;
the acceptance of the Building on behalf of the Trustees,
by John Taylor Johnston; an address on The History
and Future Plans of the Museum, by Joseph H. Choate;
and the declaration that The IVletropolitan Museum of
Art was open, by the President of the United States,
Rutherford B. Hayes. “The formal proceedings through-
out,” said The Evening Post, “were notable for the absence
of all the vainglory and boasting which are sometimes
thought to be inseparable from Yankee oratory, the modest,
simple, and yet sufficient words in which President Hayes
declared the institution to be open for the purposes of ‘free,
popular art education’ being in entire accord with all the
preceding exercises.”^

Mr. Choate’s address is worth)- of a careful reading. Its
dominant note is the practical value of a museum of art to all
the people, its truly public character. The following para-
graphs state most clearly this position of a representative
trustee:

“The erection of this building, at the expense of the public
treasury for the uses of an art-museum, was an act of signal
forethought and wisdom on the part of the Fegislature. A
few reluctant taxpayers have grumbled at it as beyond the
legitimate objects of government, and if art were still, as it
once was, the mere plaything of courts and palaces, minis-
tering to the pride and the luxur)' of the rich and the volup-
tuous, there might be some force in the objection. But,
now that art belongs to the people, and has become their best
resource and most efficient educator, if it be within the real

’N. Y. Evening Post, .March 30, 1880.

106

OPENING OF THE FIRST BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK
FROM AN ILLUSTRATION IN THE DAILY GRAPHIC

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

objects of government to promote the general welfare, to
make education practical, to foster commerce, to instruct and
encourage the trades, and to enable the industries of our
people to keep pace with, instead of falling hopelessly behind,
those of other States and other Nations, then no expenditure
could be more wise, more profitable, more truly republican.
It is this same old-fashioned and exploded idea, which regards
all that relates to art as the idle pastime of the favored few,
and not, as it really is, as the vital and practical interest of
the working millions, that has so long retarded its progress
among us.

“The founders of this Museum, stimulated by the wise
examples set them abroad, and conscious at the same time
that whatever was to be done for art among us must be be-
gun, at least, by private means and personal enterprise, pro-
jected the undertaking whose progress you have to-day been
invited to witness.

“They knew the difficulties that lay before them, and fully
appreciated the burdens which they volunteered to assume.
They looked for success only to the far-distant future, and
certainly never expected in so short a time to accomplish the
half of what has already been done. Let me briefl}’ state to
you their purposes. They believed that the diffusion of a
knowledge of art in its higher forms of beauty would tend
directly to humanize, to educate, and refine a practical and
laborious people; that though the great masterpieces of
painting and sculpture which have commanded the reverence
and admiration of mankind, and satisfied the yearnings of the
human mind for perfection in form and color, which have
served for the delight and the refinement of educated men
and women in all countries, and inspired and kept alive the
genius of successive ages, could never be within their reach,

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FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

yet it might be possible in the progress of time to gather a
collection of works of merit, which should impart some knowl-
edge of art and its history to a people who were yet to take
almost their first lesson in that department of knowledge.
Their plan was not to establish a mere cabinet of curiosities
which should serve to kill time for the idle, but gradually to
gather together a more or less complete collection of objects
illustrative of the history of art in all its branches, from the
earliest beginnings to the present time, which should serve
not only for the instruction and entertainment of the people,
but should also show to the students and artisans of every
branch of industry, in the high and acknowledged standards
of form and of color, what the past had accomplished for them
to imitate and excel.”

With the collections safely placed and duly exhibited in
their permanent home, the days of the Museum’s migratory
life were indeed well over, but by no means the difficulties and
problems of a Museum. Financially their very success in
accumulating possessions, the cost of exhibit and care being
by no means trifling, and their very occupancy of a city
building, good as each was in itself, brought almost insur-
mountable obstacles. The Museum at 82d Street was too
suburban in location to afford opportunity for the close
personal supervision and labor that the Trustees had so
willingly performed earlier. The expense of maintenance
would therefore be increased even in a building no larger
than the Fourteenth Street building, and the Centra! Park
building was much larger. Besides, by the terms of the lease
the Museum must admit visitors free on four days each week,
whereas before there were only two free days. Thus one por-
tion of their income would probably be greatly curtailed.
Yet so excellent was the management, so careful the expendi-
ture that from 1882 until 1889, when the first wing was
opened, each year closed free of debt.

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Hon. Joseph H. Choate at the opening of the building
alluded in a pleasing manner to this unpleasant subject:
“These Trustees,” said he, “are too proud to beg a dollar,
but they freely proffer their services in relieving these dis-
tended and apoplectic pockets. Think of it, ye millionaires
of many markets, what glory may yet be yours if you only
listen to our advice, to convert pork into porcelain,
grain and produce into priceless potter}’, the rude
ores of commerce into sculptured marble, and railroad
shares and mining stocks — things which perish without
the using, and which in the next financial panic shall
surely shrivel like parched scrolls — into the glorified canvases
of the world’s masters, that shall adorn these walls for
centuries. The rage of Wall Street is to hunt the
Philosopher’s Stone, to convert all baser things into gold,
which is but dross; but ours is the higher ambition to convert
your useless gold into things of living beauty that shall be a
joy to a whole people for a thousand years.”

The Trustees the year before, in 1879, had issued as a cir-
cular a plea for financial help to the extent of $150,000, the
subscription to be applied first to the following objects:

“To purchase the Avery Collection of Porcelain, to buy
the King Collection of Gems, to purchase Casts, to purchase
.Architectural Models, to purchase Archaeological Antiqui-
ties, to purchase examples of Fabrics, and start a School of
Design for the Arts and Trades, to establish a system of
Prize-Medals or Awards, to create a fund for Lectures on
.Art.”

This list gives some idea of the various activities upon
which the Trustees longed to enter. The}' were in the tan-
talizing position of seeing excellent opportunities to acquire
treasures of art slip from their grasp through a constant
need to economize. Looking ahead, however, we find that
some, at least, of these desires were gratified. The Aver}'

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FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

Collection of Porcelain was bought this same year, though
the subscription was insufficient to pay the full price.
Samuel P. Avery for his part gave most generous terms for
its purchase. The Collection of Engraved Gems, made by
Rev. C. W. King of Trinity College, Cambridge, England,
together with Mr. King’s descriptive catalogue, valuable
because the work of a well-known authority on glyptic
art, was acquired in 1881 through the gift of John Taylor
Johnston. Richard Morris Hunt, who was especially inter-
ested in the third object, the purchase of casts, at different
times made generous contributions of architectural casts.

Two items in this list focus our attention on a subject that
the Trustees had for several years thought worthy of most
serious consideration, that of exhibiting a collection of the
objects belonging to industrial art and establishing industrial
art schools. The large hall on the lower floor of the new
building was set apart for carrying out their pet scheme, pro-
curing and exhibiting “specimens illustrating the progress of
manufactures and methods of manufacture from the raw
material to the final art product.’’ So determined were the
Trustees upon this use of the space that at the opening of the
building on March 30, 1880, they suspended in the hall a large
placard with the inscription, “This room will be devoted to
the collection of industrial art. ’’ The task of filling this room
was assigned to Professor Thomas Egleston, of the School of
Mines, Columbia University, but it proved less easy in per-
formance than on paper. It is illuminating to discover what
he strove to obtain. Outlining his plan. Professor Egleston
wrote :

“The collection should be commenced by gathering to-
gether the materials illustrating the use of the metals for
interior and exterior art ornament and decoration. 1 should
propose in each case to have the metal represented by its
ores, and the intermediate processes of manufacture, but not

201

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

to make these a prominent feature in the collection, only
showing them as incidental to the finished subject which
should be the center of attraction.” Although many con-
cerns were approached and several collections were promised,
the sum total actually effected at this time was the acquisition
of a series illustrating the art of electrotyping. In fact, in
few cases has the Museum since that date acquired objects
illustrating the processes of manufacture, although it now
possesses in great richness the finished product of the
artisan's skill and a special wing built for and devoted to the
decorative arts. With the gradual process of differentiation
between the objects belonging to an art museum and those
appropriately placed in an industrial museum, the earlier
ideal, expressed in this effort for an Industrial Art Collec-
tion, has given place to the attempt to help artisans through
a collection of finished works of art and details that show
historical progression from early periods to the present. The
aim — to be helpful to artisans — is the same now as then;
the difference lies in the method of accomplishing it. It
would seem as if the right direction for effort in an art
museum was discovered only by a series of experiments such
as this. Thus the attempt, though unsuccessful, served a
distil purpose.

”” *^her educational aim, that of establishing Indus-
trial Schools, was carried out and the schools con-
duct • over a decade. Gideon F. T. Reed, “a gen-

tleman of large means, leisure, and experience,” living
in Swampscott, Massachusetts, who had studied the sub-
ject ur years, by his financial aid, and Edward Moore
of Tiffany and Company by his time and experience
made the initial steps possible. The Trustees had pledged
themselves to the public in the Annual Report of 1879 to
start such schools, and in the next report the\- were able to
record that they had fulfilled their pledge by renting rooms

202

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

on the third floor of a building, No. 31 Union Square, at the
northwest corner of Broadway and i6th Street, and there
establishing in January, 1880, free classes in woodwork and
metalwork, each meeting twice weekly in the evening.
When announcement of this new school was made by a circu-
lar sent to a few employers and workmen, a gratifying num-
ber of applicants presented themselves. During the first
term the average number in attendance in each class was from
twenty to twenty-three, ranging in age from sixteen to thirty
years.

With the next year great changes — of location, courses of
study, and methods of administration — came to the schools
because of Richard T. Auchmuty’s generous offer to erect
on the east side of First Avenue between 67th and 68th
Streets the necessary buildings for a Technical School of plain
and ornamental painting (house painting), to give the Mu-
seum the use of them rent free for three years, and to pay
whatever running expenses the receipts from tuition did not
cover. There were classes in drawing and design, modeling
and carving, carriage drafting, decoration in distemper, and
plumbing. Mr. Auchmuty conditioned his offer on an agree-
ment to charge as tuition enough to cover approximately
the expenses of the schools, since he believed that people
seldom value what they receive for nothing, and so regularity
of attendance could not be secured with free tuition. This
arrangement continued only one year, during which 143
persons were enrolled in the different classes. The evening
classes were eminently successful; the day classes, not so
prosperous.

The schools were continued the following year in another
location, on the upper floors of the building. Nos. 214 and
216 East Thirty-fourth Street, a part of the expense being
met by an endowment fund of ^50,000, the gift of Gideon
F. T. Reed.

203

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Though Mr. Reed was averse to dropping the earlier
plan of free tuition, he yielded gracefully in a letter written
to Robert Hoe, Jr., Chairman of the Committee on Art
Schools, which reveals the helpful, unassuming spirit of the
man. From this letter we quote: “ 1 have yours of yesterda}-
concerning ‘a free’ school by ‘The Metropolitan Museum.’
1 do think with yourself, that a small charge is always best
(for all institutions of learning) to prevent waste and ensure
care and proper appreciation; but can we not just as well
leave it a free school and make the charge for materials or
some such name and still have the school free? 1 think that
would not be objected to by any one. 1 feel a little sh}'
about making fees and charges, as that would deter just
the young men whom 1 am most interested in: those who are
smart and poor!

“ But 1 do not wish to draw any sharp lines for the Metro-
politan Museum — ’tis only to make the future a sure thing,
so far as all of us can, i.e., that this fund is to be expended
wholly for instruction and as free from charges as is found
wisest. Let us all try and encourage others in New \'ork
to lend a hand to these schools, by their practical manage-
ment and certain results, which have worked such wonders
for England during only thirty years past! (our boys are
no more stupid than they are!) It onl)- depends on us then
to educate our boys to do things well.”

Until 1887 the schools continued here, increasing yearl\'
in number of pupils and practical efficienc\'. Elementary
classes were added, while the advanced pupils often pro-
cured remunerative positions as practical designers. A
normal class was started for teachers of drawing in the
public schools; the superintendents of schools in the vicinit\-
of New York were sending their teachers to this class, and
from Brooklyn, also, applications for tuition for the teachers
were received. All these facts indicate the influence that

204

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

these Museum schools must have had. The prospectus
of 1887 gives the following statement of the general aim
and scope of the schools, which by this time employed
thirteen teachers, with John Ward Stimson as Director;
“These Art Schools have been established . . . with the

intention of furnishing superior opportunities (at moderate
cost) for thorough instruction in Color; Design; Modeling;

MUSEUM ART SCHOOL, 3 1 UNION SQUARE
FROM AN ILLUSTRATION IN THE DAILY GRAPHIC

Free-hand, Architectural, Cabinet, and Mechanical Drawing;
and such allied fields in Chased and Hammered Metals,
Carved Work-tiles, Textiles, etc., as harmoniously combine
creative art taste with practical industrial skill, having in
view the welfare of that large class of Practical Artists or
Artistic Artisans (who are distinguished from ‘Amateurs’
abroad by the term ‘Artistes Ouvriers’ or ‘Artist-Artisans’),
and who as industrious, self-supporting, and tasteful Workers
in Art, contribute so essentially to its growth, and form the
basis of the nation’s artistic wealth.”

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

In connection with the Art Schools, lectures were fre-
quently given. No regular course of public lectures was yet
held, although at least one such lecture was delivered for
which the Trustees arranged, with the expense borne by
a special subscription. This was on the general subject
of the explorations at the ruins of Assos, in the Troad,
and was given February i6, 1883, in Chickering Hall, by
Prof. Charles Eliot Norton, President of the Archaeological
1 nstitute of America. This form of public instruction was ev-
idently still in the plan of the Trustees; they were but wait-
ing for a favorable opportunity to carr\' out their intention.

Turning from one educational factor in the Museum life
to another, we may chronicle the modest beginnings of the
Museum Library. Some books and pamphlets had accumu-
lated at the Fourteenth Street Building. On their removal
to the permanent structure in Central Park, the southwest
room of the basement was set apart as a library and fitted
up with “neat but durable book-cases” capable of containing
from five to seven thousand volumes. The appointment of
a librarian who should collect books and solicit donations;
in short, boom this new undertaking, was the next task.
Happily it was no difficult matter, for one of the Trustees,
William Coring Andrews, the distinguished bibliophile and
one of the founders of the Grolier Club, who was admirably
fitted both by his own knowledge and love of books and
by his deep interest in the Museum’s success to fill such
a position, accepted the responsibility, becoming first
Librarian, and later Honorar}’ Librarian, which position
he has occupied ever since with great advantage to the
Museum. Five hundred dollars, surely not an extravagant
sum, was appropriated for the first >'ear's support of the
Library.

The first record of this new departure was given in the
Annual Report to May i, 1881, as follows: “.An .Art

206

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

Library for the use of visitors is an essential part of the work-
ing plan of the Museum, which hitherto it has not been
possible to enter on. The increase of the exhibitions and
the necessity of books of reference for the use of the Director
and his assistants in preparing catalogues, has led to a more
systematic attempt to gather a library. This is now a
pressing demand, and to supply the immediate want, the
Trustees ask the contribution of Works on Art and kindred
subjects. A small beginning has been made. The Librarian
reports that on the first of November last the Library
contained 64 bound and 132 unbound books and pamphlets.
Since that date have been added by gift and purchase 173
bound and 78 unbound volumes, bringing the total number
up to 447 books and pamphlets now in the Library. In
the meantime we are in daily need of encyclopedias, diction-
aries, works on painting, history, sculpture, archaeology, and
art in general. Members will probably find in their libraries
very many such works, which will be acceptable and valuable
for the use of the Museum. Expenditures of this nature
are among the constant necessities of such an institution;
but the Trustees have been compelled to confine their
purchases to the lowest measure of absolute need; the labor
of preparing catalogues has been increased and delayed by
the necessity of sending to distant libraries in the city for
reference. While the present demand is only for a working
library for manifest uses, it is hoped that we shall in time
possess a library which will serve all the purposes of refer-
ences, in all departments of Art, of visitors to the Museum.”

This appeal to supply the needs of the Library seems to
have borne fruit. At least, before 1881 was over, Heber
R. Bishop, later a Trustee of the institution, had given'
the Library an endowment fund of $2,000, which was in-
creased in January, 1883, to ^5,000. Mr. Andrews writes of
this generous gift, “The feeling of encouragement that this

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

gift of Mr. Bishop afforded the librarian a quarter of a cen-
tury ago is still with him, a distinct and pleasant memory.”

’ The Library, the nucleus of which was thus formed, had
a growth by no means rapid. The annual income would
not permit of extensive purchases, and gifts of books were
not offered in such abundance or with such frequency as
gifts of works of art. Comparatively few people realized
the imperative need of an art library for the well-rounded
development of a museum of art. Scattering gifts gave
only slight encouragement. In 1885, however, a substantial
increase was received from John Bigelow in a collection
of about 660 books and pamphlets relating exclusivel}’ to
Benjamin Franklin. These had been gathered during many
years by William H. Huntington of Paris, for twenty years
correspondent of the New York Tribune abroad, a man
of refined artistic taste, ardor as a collector, and unostenta-
tious generosity, who had also collected and presented to
the Museum the many objects — medals, bronzes, porcelains,
miniatures, engravings, and prints — relating to Washington,
Lafayette, and Franklin, which are known as the Huntington
Collection.

At this period bequests of importance began to enrich
the corporation. In 1881 S. Whitney Phoenix, an ardent
lover of beauty who was numbered among the Trustees,
had bequeathed such of his Curiosities, Antiquities, and
Works of Art as the Trustees should select. These were
valued at ^50,000 and so his name now stands among the
Museum Benefactors.

In 1883 the bequest of Levi Hale Willard, a New ^■ork
business man, which amounted to over Si 00,000, was received
by the Trustees. By the conditions of the will this was to
be “applied to the purchase of a collection of models, casts,
photographs, engravings, and other objects illustrative of
the art and science of architecture.” This bequest may have

208

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

come partly as a result, somewhat remote, of the appeal
for funds to buy casts and other works of art which had
been issued in 1879. The will required that the collection
should be made under the direction of a Commission chosen
by the New York Chapter of the American Institute of
Architects, with the stipulation that Napoleon Le Brun
should be one of this Commission. A posthumous letter
to Mr. Le Brun expressed a desire that Pierre Le Brun, the
son of Napoleon Le Brun, might make the collection under
the direction of the Commission. This letter, dated Novem-
ber 25, 1881, reads in part as follows:

“You are aware that 1 have long since made a bequest
to the Metropolitan Museum of Art of money to be devoted
to the founding of a Museum of Architecture to be placed
on exhibition in its galleries. It is a subject that has often
been discussed between us for years past.

“ My object in writing this is to put on record my desire
lately expressed to you that your son Pierre be assigned
the duty of making the collection under the direction of the
Commission designated in my will. He thoroughly under-
stands my views, and is in harmony with them, and 1 am
satisfied would carry them out to my entire satisfaction.

“ If it shall prove that 1 have done something to cultivate
and encourage a popular taste of this grandest of all the arts,
I shall be recompensed for what 1 have done, although 1
may never know of it.”

A report written by Pierre Le Brun throws interesting
light upon Mr. Willard’s character and his motives in making
this disposition of his money. It reads: “ Mr. Willard had
traveled considerably and was an enthusiastic admirer of
the many great works of architecture he had seen. He really
believed that art to be the grandest and the most compre-
hensive of all the fine arts; and it was with the ambition of

209

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

doing all in his power to cultivate and encourage a popular
taste for it, to help such students as were unable to secure
the advantages of travel, and to elevate the standard of
American work by presenting choice selections of master-
pieces in all styles, that he desired to found an historical
Architectural Collection. He wished the Collection to tell
a clear, graphic story of the progress of the art from the
earliest period to the time of the Renaissance — no impor-
tant type was to be slighted — neither was the collection to
consist merely of fragmentary bits of detail. It should
present all the distinctive styles in historical sequence, and
in such manner too, as to show their inter-relationships and
transitions. It should comprise carefully made, good-sized
models of typical buildings, casts of doorways and other
minor architectural features, and a complete collection of
casts of applied ornament, sculpture, and architectural detail,
sets of photographs, and plain and tinted illustrations of
engravings.”

The bequest was accepted and its terms faithfully carried
out. The American Institute of Architects appointed Napo-
leon Le Brun, Alfred J. Bloor, and Emlen T. Littell as their
Commission and Pierre Le Brun as purchasing agent. The
Trustees for their part appointed three of their number to
manage the fund and pay for the casts purchased by the
Commission. Mr. Le Brun m.ade three visits to Europe,
going to almost every place where casts might be seen or
obtained, and displaying good judgment in his selection.
The first casts were exhibited in 1889, and the final report
of the Commission to the Trustees handed in in 1894. Dur-
ing these years it brought together nearly all the architectural
casts now shown in the large hall, including the “rich
assortment of details of all styles and periods, the full-sized
sections of the Parthenon, the temple of Vespasian and other
Roman temples, the cast of the Monument of Lysikrates.

210

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

and the models of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, the Par-
thenon, the Pantheon, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame,
which were made expressly for this collection, under the
direction of Charles Chipiez, by A. Joly, of Paris.” ^

To Henry G. Marquand, one of the Museum’s earliest
and most loyal friends, whose generosity we shall have
frequent occasion to record, is due the beginning (in 1886)
of the collection of sculptural casts, procured by his gift
of $10,000. Such a collection Mr. Marquand believed to
be the greatest need of the Museum at that time.

Another large bequest was received in 1887 by the will
of Catharine Lorillard Wolfe, this time of paintings, a col-
lection ready at once for transference to the Museum. Miss
Wolfe has already been referred to as the only woman whose
name is found on the first subscription list in 1870. From
that time until her death, April 4, 1887, her interest in the
Museum was unflagging, and her contributions for the pur-
chase of works of art generous. “Her charities were large
in number, generous in amount, catholic in character.”^
Her will indicates her feeling as regards her bequest, which
she styles “my entire collection of modern oil paintings,
with their frames, and also my water-color drawings with
their frames, which paintings include the original portrait
of my late father, John David Wolfe, by Huntington, and
my own portrait by Alexandre Cabanel.” These she gives
“with the desire and hope on my part that the same may
be had, held, and exhibited by that institution for the
enjoyment and recreation of all who may frequent its rooms,
and also with a view to the education and cultivation of the
public taste for the fine arts.”

The terms of Miss Wolfe’s will show unusual foresight.
She provides for the safety and maintenance of her large

1 Catalogue of the Collection of Casts, page vii.

^ Annual Reports, 1871-1902, page 384.

21 I

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

collection, for she expressly requires its exhibition in a
fireproof gallery and bequeaths $200,000 as a fund for the
judicious care of the paintings and for additions to the collec-
tion of “other original modern oil paintings either by native
or foreign artists ... in the departments of art known
as figure, landscape, and genre subjects.” This new method
of giving was most gratefully appreciated by the Trustees,
to whom hitherto every new gift, however desirable might
be its acquisition, had meant added expense. It brought
new hope and courage, thus proving as valuable for its
inspiration as for its intrinsic worth. One of the galleries
formerly used for the paintings by the Old jVlasters was set
apart for the Wolfe Collection, though in this way some of
the permanent collection had to be retired, so crowded was
the building.

The first steps toward the formation of an Egyptian
collection came in this same period, the nucleus acquired
with money from the sale of Cypriote duplicates. The
C>’priote antiquities were sold to Leland Stanford, then
Governor of California, and the money obtained was used
for purchasing antiquities which the Egyptian government
considered duplicates for the Museum at Boulac. This
arrangement proved most satisfactory, the objects secured
being of the highest importance. Among other treasures
part of the contents of a dynasty tomb at Gurnet-
Murrai discovered with the priest’s seals intact by Prof.
Gaston Maspero became the property of our .Museum. Of
this find Prof. .Maspero, to whom the .Museum has often
been greatly indebted for his personal interest and helpful-
ness, wrote the following enthusiastic account: “This year
1 have had the good fortune to discover a tomb of the X.\
dynasty, probably of the reign of Ramses V, which has
never been opened before; sarcophagi, mummies, furniture,
in short, ever\ thing was found still in its primitive place.

212

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

It is the first time in sixty years that such a chance has
happened to a European, and 1 make you profit by it. Some
of the objects which this rich tomb contained are of high
historical importance, as they were hitherto merely known
to have existed by monumental records or fragments and no
other Museum possesses entire specimens except your
Museum and that at Boulac.”

Two letters written by John Bigelow contain references
to some sort of public opening of this collection early in 1887.
One says, “ If in town on Saturday, I shall certainly attend
the bringing out reception of your Egyptian bud, at 2:30,”
and in the other, he alludes to the invitations to “‘the
Opening’ of that Egyptian damsel.” Mr. Bigelow’s letters,
we might add, on however trivial or ordinary a subject,
always have a certain flavor of individuality. Eor example,
in accepting the Trusteeship offered him, he wrote, “It will
always give me pleasure to serve the Museum whether as
an Officer or in the ranks; whether on foot or on horse-
back.”

In many respects the most interesting, indeed epoch-
making loan collection of this period was that of the
works of George Erederick Watts, R. A., of London, held in
1884 and 1885. This was peculiarly important for two
reasons: first, it resulted from the urgent request of several
gentlemen, by no means all of whom were connected in any
official capacity with the Museum, thus showing a more
general interest in the works of the greatest living artists
than had earlier existed; and second, it was the first time
that an invitation had been sent by American lovers of art
to an English painter to exhibit here. The difficulty involved
in transporting a collection in safety from England to Amer-
ica seemed to the Trustees very great. Their fear that
unexpected items of expense would arise is evident in a
clause of their first resolution on the subject, “provided no

213

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

expenses be incurred by the Museum beyond those of
unpacking and hanging and repacking of said pictures.”

Mr. Watts with extreme modesty hesitated to accept
what he considered a flattering invitation. His letter of
acceptance reads thus:

” 1 scarcely know how to reply to the flattering invitation
1 have lately received to send some of my pictures for
exhibition in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New
York; being afraid the invitation has been sent under very
considerable misapprehension, believing the idea must have
originated with some sympathizers with my aspirations and
intentions who have from their sympathy seen achievement
where there has been only effort.

“ 1 have, it is true, felt very strongly that art, losing its
great missions, being no longer employed in the service of
religion or the state, is in danger of losing its character as a
great intellectual utterance; and in working, my efforts have
been actuated by a desire to establish correspondence
between them and noble poetr\' and great literature, but 1
can by no means claim for them more than evidence of that
aim. By setting aside considerations of exhibition and
money making, 1 have found myself able to carr}' on my
work in a very independent manner, and have had a con-
siderable number of compositions in hand at the same time,
working now upon one, now upon another, according to
mood or convenience; and keeping my pictures constantly
around me, it has happened that 1 have often obliterated
finished work in order to make some improvement which
has remained uncompleted; the result of this habit being
that most of my pictures are extremel}- incomplete. This
is comparatively of little consequence in my own galler\-,
but 1 cannot think it right to call the attention of the public
to things in this state; and 1 feel most strongly that to
justify the presumption of coming before the American

214

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

public . . . the works ought at least to have the merit

of completion. Also 1 must add that my work can in no
degree be considered as representing any section of the
English School, and can have no interest from that point
of view.’’

Extraordinary interest was aroused by this exhibition, and
numerous letters and requests were received that the exhibi-
tion, which was originally planned to continue from Novem-
ber, 1884, to April, 1885, should be retained for another six
months. This extension of time was arranged with the kind
consent of Mr. Watts, conveyed in these words, “ If my work
can help to stimulate a regard for art which, appealing rather
to the intellect and finer emotions than the senses, can never
be popular, 1 am too happy in being accepted as a pioneer in
such a direction to hesitate, and do willingly consent that
they remain in the Museum till October, according to your
desire.” The interest continued unabated, and even after
the announced date of closing, letters and telegrams of
inquiry were sent to the Secretary on the hope that the
paintings might still be seen. The catalogue issued proved
an added attraction, for it contained an account of the
methods and aims of the artist and a description of his
intentions in the pictures, written by a pupil of Watts,
.Mrs. E. 1. Barrington, and submitted to him for his approval.
Of this catalogue an illustrated edition (price 25 cents) and
an unillustrated edition (price 10 cents) were issued, and
nearly seven thousand copies were sold. It is interesting to
recall that for this important loan exhibition the Museum
was largely indebted to the initiative of Miss Gertrude
Mead, who later became Mrs. Edwin A. Abbey.

From this time on for many years, although the collec-
tions were enriched by many valuable loans, neither the
annual reports nor the special catalogues nor the minutes
themselves contain definite information that the customary

215

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

semi-annual loan exhibitions were held regularly. This,
however, does not mean that there were no loan exhibitions,
but they were held less regularly, it seems. A collection of
Dutch and Flemish paintings by Old Masters, owned by
Charles Sedelmeyer of Paris, was lent for a short time
in the winter of 1886-87 by invitation of the Trustees.
The Western Gallery was granted to the Society of American
.Artists for their eighth exhibition from April 15, 1886, to
October 15, 1886, subject to the rules of the Museum, but
on the understanding that the selection and hanging of the
pictures should rest with the Society. This exhibition was
entirely different from any other exhibition in the Museum
before or since in two respects; namely, the pictures were
understood to be for sale and prizes were awarded for the
best paintings. At the end of this exhibition The Glass
Blowers of Murano by Charles F. Ulrich, which had re-
ceived a prize of $2,500, was presented to the Museum.

Whether the omission of the semi-annual loan exhibitions
was the result of clearly-defined policy or only an accidental
lapse, the records do not show. From the correspondence
we judge that the difficulties connected with such frequent
loan exhibitions were proving great; to keep them up to
standard was indeed hard; besides, room was undoubtedly
at a premium in the Museum, and loan exhibitions must
often mean temporary removal from exhibition of some of
the permanent collection.

In fact, even as early as 1879 when the collections were
first placed in their new home, the scarcity of room in the
new building was felt to be serious. At the very time that
the Trustees were planning for the opening of the Museum
in 1880, they were discussing the necessity of an appeal to
the Legislature for an appropriation to build a new wing.
Never was the building sufficient to hold and exhibit properly
the possessions of the Museum, and as the collections

216

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

increased, the insufficiency of space grew more noticeably
apparent. Although an application was made to the
Legislature in 1880, the appropriation on which the first
extension was built was not authorized until the session of
1884,^ an act passed earlier having become inoperative
through the failure of the Board of Apportionment to place
the amount in the tax-levy. By 1884 the need for enlarged
quarters was still greater, as the Willard Bequest meant
the addition of objects that require much space for display.
This new act provided that the work should be done by
the Department of Parks, on plans to be made by the
Trustees of the Museum and approved by the Department.
This procedure is in marked contrast to the earlier method
of work, in which the Park Department made the plans and
the Museum approved. Perhaps experience had taught
that the plans should be made by the persons most concerned.
Theodore Weston, who had been so closely connected
with the early history of the Museum, was appointed
architect, acting under the immediate supervision of a Com-
mittee of the Trustees. Associated with him in this work
of designing and planning was Arthur L. Tuckerman, a
talented young man, later Manager of the Art Schools.
This extension was built to the south, and the new entrance
on that side superseded the former entrances on east and
west.

But even before this new wing, covering more ground
and having a greater floor space than the original building,
had been opened to the Museum, the need for some system
of departmental organization was obvious. With the trans-
ference of the collections to the Park building in 1879, the
period of a director-controlled rather than a committee-
controlled museum began, and at that time the duties and
powers of the Director were definitely outlined. For about
‘ See Charter, Constitution, By-Laws, Lease, Laws, page 45.

217

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

three years all the work was done, and well done, by the
executive ability and industry of one man, General Cesnola,
with a corps of employees hired by the month and one or
two young men as his assistants.^ This arrangement was
at best but temporary; the large additions to the collections,
the demand for carefully prepared catalogues, the constantly
increasing amount of correspondence, the almost infinite
detail connected with the receipt of objects as gifts or loans
and their proper installation — all demanded a staff of
specially trained men competent to make the collections
useful to the public. In 1882 Professor William Henry
Goodyear was appointed the Curator, and his duties were
prescribed. Four years later a more systematic division of
labor was carefully considered. General Cesnola having made
a thorough study of the organization of various European
museums, and a plan of departmental organization suggested
by that in the British Museum^ was adopted. Three depart-

* One of these young men, Waldo S. Pratt, who served the .Museum for
eighteen months from 1880 to 1882, reviews his accomplishment in that
short period in a list that might well challenge comparison. "1 have
partly managed three Loan Collections, have arranged two large collections
and a number of small ones, have prepared and published eight catalogues,
including the Gifford Memorial, and published one (the King gems), have
done an enormous amount of copying, listing, fding, and letter-writing
for my own department, for the Library, and for the General, have acted
for a year as .Museum correspondent of the .American .Art Review, have
been a sort of business manager about various small matters, and have
been in nearly constant attendance at the .Museum.”

’^The departmental organization of the British .Museum was a gradual
development, as need arose. .At the outset three departments were
created: Manuscripts, Printed Books, and Natural History. In 1807
Marbles and other .Antiquities, together with Prints, Drawings, Coins,
and Medals, were made a separate department. Thirty years later the
Prints and Drawings were severed from the .Antiquities. By 1857 necessit}'
had arisen for a division of the Department of Antiquities into four de-
partments as follows: Greek and Roman .Antiquities, Oriental .Antiquities,
British and Mediaeval Antiquities and Ethnography, and Coins and
Medals. Such a division exists to-day, except that the Department of

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

merits were created, each independent of the other and
under the care of a curator,^ who in each case was respon-
sible to the Director for the faithful performance of his
duties. The entire field was divided as follows: The
Department of Paintings, under Professor W. H. Goodyear
as Curator, was to embrace all the paintings, drawings,
etchings, water-colors, engravings, prints, textile fabrics,
photographs, and books for exhibition (exclusive of the
Museum Library); the Department of Sculpture, under
Professor Isaac H. Hall as Curator, all the sculpture, antiqui-
ties, inscriptions, jewelry, glassware, pottery, porcelain, and
such other objects of art as commonly are termed Bric-a-Brac;
the Department of Casts, temporarily under the charge of the
Curator of Sculpture, all copies, fac-similes, or reproductions,
either in metal, plaster, or any other material, the moulding
atelier, and the Art Schools. Professor John A. Paine, an
excellent scholar and archaeologist, was appointed Curator of
Casts in 1889 and served faithfully until 1906, when the office
was abolished in a new departmental arrangement. This plan
of departmental organization was in force until Gen. Cesnola’s
death. As need arose, new departments were created.

Oriental Antiquities has been superseded apparently by the Department
of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities. The “Literary Group,” rep-
resented in the first classification by two heads, Manuscripts and Printed
Books, is now cared for under four heads; Printed Books (including Maps
and Plans), Manuscripts, Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts, and
Prints and Drawings. The Department of Natural History has been
removed to South Kensington.

*A sentence in a letter from a gentleman to whom the curatorship of the
department of paintings was offered expresses the vague idea of the duties
of a curator which many people then had and perhaps some people today.
He wrote, “1 am largely in the dark as to the duties of Curators. 1 have
all my life been an active man; work has been and is a large part of my
existence. 1 could not stand around the galleries all day long merely
looking at the pictures and the men to see that all was well.” He
evidently apprehended that he would have surplus time hanging heavy
on his hands, so little was the important work of a curator appreciated.

219

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

This volume should contain some mention of the attain-
ments and the faithful service of Professor Isaac H. Hall, who
for many years prior to his appointment as Curator of the
Department of Sculpture had contributed liberally to
advance the welfare of the Museum. His term of service
ended only with his death in 1896. Professor Hall was a man
of profound scholarship, the acknowledged leader of Ameri-
ican scholars in the Syriac language and literature.

In two details only was the Constitution amended during
the years 1880 to 1888.^ These were to provide for the
increase of the Executive Committee from six Trustees
besides the Officers, who were ex-officio members, to eight
Trustees, and to allow the appointment of a successor to
a Patronship or Fellowship not only by the endorsement
in the holder’s handwriting on the certificate or the last
will and testament, as previously, but also by the nomination
of the Executor or Administrator of the deceased, subject
to the approval of the Board of Trustees. The earlier rule
by its very strictness had proved objectionable; it could not
wisely be followed without exceptions.

During this period two public meetings of intense interest
held in the Museum helped to bring it into great prominence.
In neither case, however, did the Museum initiate the move-
ment or arrange for the exercises. The earlier was the
occasion of the presentation of the Egy ptian obelisk to the
city of New ^'ork on Februar\- 22, 1881. This obelisk, the
gift of the I-^edive of Eg> pt, had been brought from Eg>pt
by Eieutenant Commander Gorringe of the United States
Navy at an expense of nearl)- Si 00,000 (which was paid by
W. H. Vanderbilt) and erected on a knoll west of the
Museum. Commander Gorringe gave to the Museum two
of the bronze crabs formerly placed by the Romans at the

' For summary of amendments, see Charter, Constitution. By-Laws,
Lease, Laws, page 75.

220

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

corners of the base of the obelisk when it was carried from
its original site, Heliopolis, to Alexandria.

The other event was the unveiling of the Poe Memorial, a
monument by Richard Henry Park, presented by the Actors
of New York to the Museum on May 4, 1885. According
to a printed account of the exercises, “ The occasion was one
of dignity and impressiveness. The platform for the orators
of the day was at the east end of the building. Between
four and five thousand people, representative of the intel-
lectual and wealthy classes of the metropolis, and a few
pilgrims from other cities, listened with deep and sympa-
thetic attention to the proceedings.” At this interesting
event, among other features, Edwin Booth, who had at
that time an international reputation as a tragic actor, made
the speech of presentation; William R. Alger, who was earlier
minister of the Church of the Messiah, delivered a com-
memorative oration; and William Winter read a poem.

These first years as a whole form a period of remarkable
growth and development along many lines. The property
value of the collections had increased from about $480,000 in
1880 to over two and a quarter million dollars in 1888. The
number of members had grown from 714 in 1880 to 1774 in
1 888. The collections had received accessions of great number
and for those days excellent quality. There were added
several collections of great value besides those already
mentioned, and many individual paintings of unusual impor-
tance. We may briefly name the following collections:
old Venetian glass, presented by James Jackson Jarves,
perhaps the best American art connoisseur of his day;
drawings, donated by Cornelius Vanderbilt; the Charvet
Collection of Ancient Glass, given by Henry G. Mar-
quand; etchings by Seymour Haden and Whistler, presented
by William L. Andrews; ancient musical instruments, the
gift of Joseph W. Drexel; twenty oil paintings, given by

221

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

George 1. Seney; miniatures, boxes, and other objects
in gold, crystal, enamel, etc., presented by the Misses
Sarah and Josephine Lazarus; valuable laces, particularly
Venice points, the gift of John Jacob Astor shortly after
the death of Mrs. Astor and in compliance with her wishes;
and Babylonian and Assyrian cylinders, seals, etc., purchased
from Dr. William Hayes Ward, who had collected them.

Our account of the first years in the park would not be
complete without some reference to the attacks upon the
authenticity and consequent value of the Cypriote antiquities
which made those years so unnecessarily hard for both
General Cesnola and the Trustees, but which resulted in the
complete vindication of the authenticity and genuineness of
General Cesnola’s collections in the Museum. The first
publication of the charges, in the Art Amateur for August,
1880, bore the signature of Gaston L. Feuardent, a French
dealer in antiques, son of M. Feuardent of the firm of
Rollin and Feuardent. The specific charges of restorations
intentionally false and repairs purposefully incorrect were
related to seven objects; while an eighth charge pertained
to the bronzes, which, it was stated, had been provided with
an artificial patina.

By the express wish of General Cesnola, and in s\ mpath\'
with his opinion that an archaeological collection to be of
any value must be free from the slightest question of
authenticity, the trustees appointed two of their number,
John O. A. Ward and William C. Prime, to associate with
themselves three gentlemen not connected with the Board,
and so to form a Committee, to discover by an exhaustive
investigation the truth or falsity of the statements. The
three chosen, gentlemen of special abilit}-, recognized posi-
tion, and high character, were Frederick A. P. Barnard,
LL.D., President of Columbia University, who was made
Chairman; Hon. Charles P. Daly, President of the American

222

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK
Geographical Society, and Roswell D. Hitchcock, President
of the Union Theological Seminary and the Palestine Explora-
tion Society. Every possible means was taken to discover the
truth. As their report states, “We have invited and received
the valuable assistance of well-known sculptors and practical
stone-cutters and carvers, have taken the opinion of scholars,
have made microscopic, chemical, and other examinations
of the surfaces, and have subjected some of the repaired
objects to prolonged baths, taken them to pieces, and verified
the relation of the fractured surfaces. We have had before
us original photographs of the objects, taken at the place
of discovery, and at later periods, and abundant evidence
of their history down to and during the process of repairing
and arranging for exhibition in the present Museum build-
ing." As a result of so searching an investigation, the Com-
mittee could report that each and all of the charges were
“without foundation,” and that they found nothing “to
cast a shadow” on the reputation of the Cesnola Collection.

This report, dated January 26, 1881, might well seem
sufficient to silence all detractors, but not so. Incriminating
newspaper articles continued to appear and finally a pamphlet
was written in the spring of 1882, by Clarence Cook, an
art critic, “one of the group of talented men who did so
much to make the New York Tribune a power a generation
ago,” charging that two statues were “a fraudulent patch-
work of unrelated parts.” Upon this direct accusation the
Executive Committee ordered that the two statues men-
tioned, an Aphrodite and Eros and a Eigure holding a
Horned Head, should be removed from their glass cases and
placed on the floor of the Grand Hall where they might be
approached and examined from all sides in a strong light.
“ Members of the Museum, the public, and especially editors
of public journals, sculptors, workers in stone, scholars,
and all persons interested in the truthfulness of archaeological

223

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

objects” were “invited to make the most careful examination
of the statues.” The claim of the Museum was that each
was monolithic.

Full advantage of this invitation was taken, and during the
following weeks thousands examined the discredited statues.
Again every indignity was heaped upon defenseless stone;
visitors washed, chiseled, cut, scraped, treated with caustic
potash and other chemicals, brushed with wire brushes, and
examined microscopically to their hearts’ content. Per-
chance, the end justified the means; at any rate, the verdict
was unanimously in favor of the authenticity of the statues.
Several sculptors and workers in stone sent unsolicited let-
ters, exculpating completely the condemned statues. Among
these were Robert Ellin, Daniel Chester French, Charles
Calverley, Launt Thompson, and John Rogers.

But not yet was the controversy ended. In 1880 Gen-
eral Cesnola had “published a brief and total denial of the
charges against him and the collection.” He had also sub-
mitted both to the Trustees and to the Committee of
Investigation detailed contradiction of the accusations.
Except for these statements. General Cesnola had refrained
from defending himself in print. He had listened to the
advice of his friends and persisted in a dignified silence,
which was most wise, though most difficult. His brief public
denial, however, gave sufficient provocation to his opponent
Mr. Feuardent, to bring a libel suit against him. The
trial began on October 31, 1883. For months General
Cesnola’s counsel, Allen W. Evarts, Albert Stickney, and
Joseph H. Choate, had been preparing evidence. The
trustees loyally supported the Director with their entire
confidence and their financial aid. They insisted on bearing
the expense of the trial. Hon. Nathaniel Shipman, the
presiding judge, conducted the case with great fairness.
The jury, on February 2, 1884, “sustained the entire integ-

224

FIRST YEARS IN CENTRAL PARK

rity of the Cesnola Collection [and] established the baseless-
ness of each and every one of the charges”^ against it.
General Cesnola’s conduct during this trying ordeal was
most satisfactory to the Trustees. William C. Prime
wrote of it to John Taylor Johnston, “We agree that
we have never known a witness present such an unvaried
appearance of calm and conscious rectitude.” In the
Museum files are many letters of sympathy over the
trial or congratulation over its issue. Among the writers
are such well-known scholars as President Andrew D.
White of Cornell University and Professor Charles Eliot
Norton of Harvard University; such connoisseurs and art
critics as James Jackson Jarvis, Charles C. Perkins, and
A. S. Murray of the British Museum; such writers as E. L.
Godkin of the Nation and George William Curtis. Time
has corroborated the findings of the court. Twenty-five
years later, Prof. J. L. Myres, the leading authority to-day
upon the art and civilization of Cyprus, now Wykeham
Professor of Ancient History at Oxford University, wrote
of the Cesnola antiquities, “The collection, which is probably
in any case the largest single collection of Cypriote antiqui-
ties, contains also a large number of examples of Cypriote
art which are of the highest importance for the history and
civilization of ancient Cyprus.”

‘Annual Reports, 1871-1902, page 262.

CHAPTER V

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

1888-1894

HENRY GORDON MARQUAND

FROM THE PAINTING BY JOHN SINGER SARGENT

CHAPTER V

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

1 888 — 1 894

From one point of view the career of the Museum has
consisted of erecting buildings, of adding wing after
wing to the building in the Park. Each portion
occupied has but shown the need of greater space; almost
simultaneously with the moving into larger quarters has
come the recognition that these rooms were far from ade-
quate. For example, on December 18, 1888, the first wing
was opened, and June 15, 1889, the Legislature authorized
the appropriation by the city of $400,000 for the further
extension of the building.^

The exercises for the opening of the New Building, as it
was termed, were held on the afternoon of December 18,
1888, in the old Central Hall, which was thronged by fully
8,000 people. Among those honored by seats upon the
platform we note the name of John Jay, whom in a sense we
might call the Father of the Museum. The exercises con-
sisted of prayer by Rev. Dr. John Hall, pastor of the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church; delivery of the new building
to the Trustees by the President of the Public Parks, Hon.
J. Hampden Robb; acceptance on behalf of the Trustees, by
the Treasurer, Henry G. Marquand; an address to the Mem-
bers of the Museum, by the First Vice President, William C.
Prime, LL.D.; and the declaration that the new building
1 See Charter, Constitution, By-Laws, Lease, Laws, page 50.

231

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

was open, by Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, Mayor of New York
City. The speeches were interspersed with singing by the
Mendelssohn Glee Club, “who kindly lent their aid to make
the occasion memorable.”^ One of their members, James
Herbert Morse, wrote the words and Joseph Mosenthal the
music for an ode. Of Glorious Birth was Art, which was sung
by the club.

Shall we supplement our own simple account of the
exercises of that day with a few more ornate sentences from
the report in the New York Herald on December 19, 1888?

“The wind whistled through the leafless trees, swept oyer
the bare spaces almost with cyclonic force, and whirled
around the tall shaft that had come from the banks of the
far-off Nile — Cleopatra’s Needle. And yet several thou-
sand people made their way to the scene of the ceremonies.

“First they glanced at the lofty column, the silent monu-
ment of bygone ages of civilization, and then hurried into the
modern building, which has been styled ‘classical Renais-
sance.’ A striking contrast.

“The ceremonies were held in the large hall of the old
part, and the visitors found it well warmed and con-
veniently arranged for hearing and seeing. There, in the
course of the afternoon, rang out the silvery tones of
eloquence in praise of art, and echoing through the vast
space the delicious harmonies of the Mendelssohn Glee
Club. Music, eloquence, and the beauty of the softer sex
paid tribute to the most glorious creations of the brain and
hand of man.

“The civilization of the Western world, in rich robes of fur
and costly fabrics from the loom, brushed b}' the glistening
marbles of the old civilization of Eg} pt, Greece, and Rome.
From many a breathing canvas strange figures in strange

' Annual Report, page 423.

232

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

costumes looked down upon a demonstration of wealth that
bygone ages never dreamed of. The fair face of the Western
maiden gazed upon pictures epitomizing the most thrilling,
the most dramatic histories of France, of England, and of
Italy, of peoples whose deeds were the theme of poet, painter.

THE FIRST ADDITION AND THE ORIGINAL BUILDING
IN CENTRAL PARK

and sculptor — deeds which have no parallel in our own brief
history.”

John Taylor Johnston the first President of the Museum,
whose interest in the Museum never flagged, was unable,
by reason of increasing infirmity, to take any active part in
these exercises. The Trustees, wishing to honor one to
whom the Museum owed so much and to avail themselves of
a continuance of his wise counsel, appointed him Honorary
President for Life in February, 1889, creating that office by
an amendment to the constitution by which any person who
has held the office of President for ten successive years may
be elected an Honorary President for Life.

The second President was Henry G. Marquand, whose
discriminating taste in art, long interest in the Museum,
generous gifts to its collections, and intimate knowledge of

233

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

its affairs peculiarly fitted him to be a worthy successor to
Mr. Johnston.

It was preeminently fitting that Dr. William C. Prime
should deliver the address of the day, inasmuch as he had
been the First Vice President since 1874. As Mr. Johnston
grew feebler, more and more responsibility fell upon Dr.
Prime. He had been associated in the most intimate con-
claves of the Museum from the very first. Wherever sound
advice, scholarly opinion, and self-sacrificing industry were
required, he had been foremost in providing these without
stint. His clear, decisive mind and splendid common sense
are apparent even on a casual reading of his speech. Out
of so much that is worthy of being quoted here, those
sections that illustrate these traits are purposely chosen.

“ It is very pleasant,” he said, “to talk about art, as some
do, as a kind of goddess, calling into existence paintings,
statues, temples, and museums. But art is after all practical
work. Her noblest products and her homeliest always did
and do cost money, darics, staters, ducats, dollars. That was
a wise thought, in the earliest ages of art, of the monarch
who recorded on the Great Pyramid the quantity of onions
and radishes and garlic consumed by its builders.

“There are still left some who ask. What is the use of
beauty? What is the practical good of increasing art pro-
duction? How does it pay? The life blood of modern com-
merce and industry is the love of beauty. This mighty city,
its wealth and power, rest on this foundation, trade in beauty,
buying and selling beauty. Is there any exaggeration in
this? Begin with the lowest possible illustration and ask
the questioner. Why are your boots polished black? Why
did you pay ten cents for a shine ? How many thousand
times ten cents are paid every day in New York for beauty
of boots. . . . Remove from Western races their love of

234

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK
TRIAL SKETCH FOR THE FACADE

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK
SKETCH FOR THE FACADE AS ADOPTED

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

color, their various tastes in cotton prints, and one factorx’
would supply all the wants supplied by fiftw Consider for
one instant what is the trade which supports your long
avenues of stores crowded with purchasers, not only in these
Christmas times, but all the year around. Enumerate
carpets, upholstery, wall papers, furniture, handsome
houses, the innumerable beauties of life which emplo\'
millions of people in their production, and you will realize
that but' for the commercial and industrial love of beaut\'
your city would be a wilderness, your steamers and railway’s
would vanish, your wealth would be poverty, your popu-
lation would starve. Yes, there is money in teaching a
people to love beautiful things.”

Two sentences spoken that da}’ put into words a ver\'
strong feeling abroad at the time that the Museum, to carr\’
out its popular aim, should be open on Sundays. These are
a wish expressed by the President of the Department of
Parks, “And with that hope may 1 couple the wish, and
in so doing 1 believe 1 am voicing the sentiment of a great
majority of the people of this city, that the day is not far
distant when the Museum will be kept opened on Sundays as
well as all other holidays,” and the words of the Ma} or of the
City, Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, “This magnificent addition to
the Museum ... 1 now declare to be open for the use

and instruction and recreation of its citizens forever, and
from that everlasting future 1 trust the time will come when
on no day shall they be excluded.” These expressions were
received with applause by the audience and noted with
approval by the dail}- press.

The question of Sunday opening was not b}’ an}’ means a
new problem. Even in 1871 during the first canvass for
funds two subscriptions were made only upon the receipt of
the following pledge, given in writing: “ It is not the inten-
tion of the promoters of The .Metropolitan .Museum of .Art

236

THE FIRST ADDITION AND THE ORIGINAL
BUILDING IN CENTRAL PARK
FLOOR PLANS

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

ever to open the same on Sundays as a place of amusement.
It is distinctly understood that your subscription ... is
made on that condition.” In 1880, soon after the occupancy
of the park building one trustee, Joseph H. Choate,
moved that the Museum should be opened Sunday, but his
motion was laid on the table. The next year outside in-
fluence was exerted to bring about Sunday opening. A
petition signed by over 10,000 persons was sent to the De-
partment of Public Parks, requesting that the two museums.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American
Museum of Natural History, should open their doors on
Sunday. In neither museum were the Trustees ready for
the step. So the matter was for several years laid on the
table or merely considered, but not acted upon.

Four years later, in 1885, renewed pressure was brought to
bear on the officials of the Museums. The Department of
Public Parks was heard from again, this time not for-
warding a petition, but sending its own request that the
Museum be opened on Sunday. The Board of Aldermen
took up the matter and sent in a similar request (dated
May 20th) with a wording of no uncertain tenor. The
Trustees were requested “to open their respective build-
ings to the public on Sundays, from two o’clock to seven
o’clock in the afternoon during the summer months, and
from half-past one to half-past four o’clock during the
winter months,” and further “to act upon this said
request without delay, so that the people may have an
opportunity afforded them to visit the said museums on
Sundays during the early part of the coming summer.”
The Board of Estimate and Apportionment passed a resolu-
tion that it was the sense of that Board that the Museums
should be opened to the public on Sunday, and they let it be
known that they were not inclined to furnish the annual
appropriation, unless their wishes on Sunday opening were

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THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

heeded. The newspapers clamored for the same boon.
The Central Labor Union and the American Secular Union
were alined on the same side. Lengthy rolls of names and
carefully prepared lists of reasons were forwarded to the
common committee of the two Museums that had the matter
under consideration.

The petitions, however, were not entirely on the side
of Sunday opening. The American Sabbath Union, the
Presbytery of New York, The Ladies’ Christian Union,
The New York East Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, many of the clergymen of all denominations, in
short, those who feared the introduction of an entering wedge
toward the Continental Sabbath, passed resolutions and
signed petitions against Sunday opening.

Burdened by this weight of argument pro and con, the
Trustees were still less decided what to do. Eor one thing,
the members of these boards were far from united in a desire
for so radical an innovation. Some had serious religious
scruples against such breaking of the Sabbath, as they con-
sidered it; others opposed opening on prudential grounds,
because they believed it would array many influential per-
sons against the museums and materially diminish their in-
comes. Still a third group earnestly advocated the measure.
President Morris K. Jesup, of the American Museum of
Natural History, who was seriously opposed to the step, spoke
for both museums, on October 30, 1885, before the Board of
Estimate and Apportionment, presenting certain difficulties
in the way of opening the Museums on Sunday. This speech
was later issued in pamphlet form and distributed. The
widely differing opinions of equally earnest, public-spirited
men may be well appreciated by reading two letters written
in 1885 by two Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of
Art. The position of the opponent on purely prudential
grounds is conveyed in the following sentences: “There is

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

but one consideration which it seems necessary to appreciate
for a reasonable determination of our duty as Trustees.

“This question is not one of mere policy. Men and
women have deep-seated opinions on it. All religious ques-
tions are apt to be viewed with strong feeling. Religion is a
controlling motive. Thousands of good, accomplished,
wealthy, influential, learned people will set their faces sternly
against any institution which opens its exhibitions on Sun-
day. It is idle to discuss whether they are right or not. It
is no one else’s business whether they are right or not. W’e
are simply bound to recognize he fact. 1 believe that all our
public educational and charitable institutions derive four-
fifths of their support from religious people who hold strict
views about Sunday. Without pressing that proportion, it
will be admitted by all that our Museum derives a large part
of its support from such men and women. Also that our
members and our board of Trustees are divided on the sub-
ject, very many of them being on principle opposed to
Sunday exhibitions.

“The adoption of Sunday exhibitions will therefore divide
us, and drive from the Museum some at least of its sup-
porters. It will array a large part of the religious press
directly against the Museum forever. There is no compro-
mise with the religious editors and the religious people who
hold the Sunday strict views. They will regard it as a duty
to do all in their power to destroy the institution which they
regard as desecrating Sunday, and exerting an immoral
influence on the community, and holding such views they are
right in so doing. It is pure folly to ignore these facts.

“We now command the hearty undivided support, ist, of
our own board, who work with perfect unanimity; 2d, of our
membership; 3d, of the whole mass of the educated, intelli-
gent people of all religious sentiment. It is suggested by the
'Park Department that we now change our plans, disregard

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THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

the strong religious sentiment of a part of our supporters,
and array a powerful press and a powerful clergy against us.
If such a state of affairs existed and such a proposal were
made to a business corporation, whose Directors were utterly
irreligious men, caring nothing about Sunday, they would not
listen to it for a moment. Common sense and ordinary
business foresight would forbid its consideration.”

The views of an ardent advocate are contained in the
following letter: “For one 1 am most earnestly in favor of
immediately trying the experiment of opening both Museums
on Sunday after i P. M. and 1 think we shall be false to our
trust if we do not.

“ First. On religious grounds — in obedience to the com-
mandment to make the day a day of rest and recreation. To
many jaded people of the city there can be no more complete
rest than a quie hour in either Museum. A dull sermon
cannot compare with it.

“Second. On moral grounds — that a counter attraction
in all respects pure and wholesome may prevail over the cor-
rupt inducements of places of dissipation, as it certainly will.

“Third. On prudential grounds — the people are the
chief support of the Museums, and we expect to live in the
future as in the past by their bounty. Nothing can in my
opinion be more shortsighted than to ignore them, to defy
their wishes, and to deny to them the full enjoyment of the
Museums which they can never have if they are closed ail day
Sunday. It would serve us exactly right if our stupid
obstinacy in this matter resulted in the forfeiture of our
annual public grants. The argument that we should con-
tinue to keep them closed in deference to the prejudices of
certain wealthy people who, we hope, may leave us some-
thing by their wills is in my judgment contemptible. We
have done that before and the very men on whose account
our Trustees muzzled themselves died without leaving the

241

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Museum a dollar. Besides, 1 don’t think we ought to take
the money of such people on any understanding or expec-
tation that the public demand for Sunday openings shall be
neglected.

“Fourth. To promote the usefulness of the Museums —
there are hundreds of professional men and mechanics who
cannot possibly visit the Museums on any day except Sun-
day.

“Fifth. As a recognition of the principle that the Mu-
seums in reality belong to, and are meant for the use of, the
people.

“ 1 think the public demand for this change is greater than
some of the Trustees appreciate. We have put it off hereto-
fore upon the plea that it should be done only in response to
an actual demand from the public — and that we now have.
So that meagre excuse is taken away from us. 1 have the
good of these Museums very much at heart, and believe that
they can be made vastly more useful than they have ever
been, and opening them on Sunday would be a great step in
the right direction.”

The Trustees as a body still wavered. The Board of
Apportionment in 1 888 as their next move agreed to grant an
additional annual appropriation of Sio.ooo on the condition
that the Museum open either on Sundays or on two evenings
weekly. Again the fight was on. But the decision reached
by the Trustees was to avail themselves of the additional sum
and to use the loophole of escape by opening Tuesday and
Saturday evenings, as soon as the electric lights were in
working order.

Meantime two museums in other cities had taken the
decisive step. Both the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and
the Cincinnati Museum had opened their doors on Sunda\',
and from Cincinnati came a favorable report.

In 1890 certain aggressive spirits carried the matter to the

242

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

Legislature, where a bill to compel both Museums to open on
Sunday was introduced, but this was killed in the committee
before it came up for final action.

The issue, however, could not be avoided much longer;
the public persisted in agitating the matter; the concession
granted them by opening two evenings weekly did not
appease their ardor; the advocates of Sunday opening con-
tinued to urge the justice and desirability of their demand.
May i8, 1891, was the decisive day when the Trustees passed
a resolution, “That until the further order of the Board the
Museum be opened free to the public every Sunday from one
P. M. until a half hour before sunset.” The vote was by no
means unanimous — twelve voted for the resolution, five
against, and one abstained from voting — nor was it taken
without lengthy consideration. Two carefully prepared,
comprehensive reports on the subject were read and laid on
the table. The first, read by the Executive Committee,
recommended for the Trustees’ consideration and action
that the Museum should abolish pay-days, open on Sundays
for one year as an experiment, and in return the City should
be asked to pay the total running expenses, $95,000. The
second report was read by John Bigelow, by whom the Sun-
day opening question was viewed as a “centrifugal influence
sure to provoke controversy, a result from every point of view
to be deprecated,” especially when the financial situation of
the Museum demanded united effort “to make provision for
extraordinary expenses.” He therefore recommended that
the subject of opening the Museum on Sunday be laid upon
the table, whence it could be taken up and acted upon when-
ever the Trustees should find themselves in a condition to
discuss it on its merits, and untrammeled by the financial
exigencies which then controlled their policy. The resolu-
tion to open on Sunday which was passed later in the after-
noon was voted on at this juncture and lost. The meeting

243

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

was suspended to receive two delegations interested in the
issue. The New York World, through their representative,
George Cary Eggleston, tendered the Museum a check for
^2,500 “to help defray the expenses of opening the Museum
on Sundays until the end of the present year.” This offer
was later declined because it was coupled with a condi-
tion — to keep the Museum open on Sundays until the end of
the year — which the Trustees were by no means certain
they could carry out. A Committee of Citizens had sent as
their delegation ex-Judge Howland, C. C. Beaman, Rev.
W. S. Rainsford, and William L. Bull. These gentlemen
presented a petition signed by thirty thousand citizens, and
brought news of a subscription of $4,000 already secured to
help meet the increased expense of Sunday opening. Upon
the withdrawal of these gentlemen, the resolution on Sunday
opening was reconsidered and passed.

To carry this resolution into effect became the duty of the
Executive Committee, and especially of the Director. All
the employees of the Museum, including Curators and
Director, were present at the Museum and actually in the
galleries every Sunday to answer questions, keep order, and
protect the collections. Their presence proved absolutely
indispensable, for, particularly at first, the visitors had little
conception either of what the Museum contained or of how
the collections should be used. General Cesnola reported
that they had evidently derived their idea of a museum of
art “from the specimens to be seen in Dime .Museums on the
Bowery, and had come here fully expecting to see freaks and
monstrosities similar to those found there. .Many visitors
took the liberty of handling every object within reach; some
went to the length of marring, scratching, and breaking
articles unprotected by glass; a few proved to be pick-
pockets.” These discouraging conditions, however, were
but temporary. In a ver)’ few months the character of the

244

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

visitors changed markedly; they became as a class “respect-
able, law-abiding, and intelligent.” The laboring classes
were well represented, and the attendance included more
young people proportionately than on any other day of the
week. As to numbers, the trial was undoubtedly successful.
Between May 31st and November 15, 1891, 150,654 persons
visited the Museum on Sunday afternoons, about 30% of
the total attendance from January ist to November 15th
inclusive.

There was, however, another side to Sunday opening, the
financial side, which is forcibly put in the Annual Report for
1891 as follows: “While Sunday opening meets with popu-
lar approval, the step remains only an experiment. It has
put burdens on the finances of the Museum which they are
unable to bear. It has offended some of the Museum’s best
friends and supporters.^ It has alienated some who have
given freely of their time and means to the institution. It
has resulted in the loss of a bequest of fifty thousand dollars.
It is hoped that this direct and calculable loss will be offset
by a greater public interest and a more generous support,
but at present the Museum finds its burdens increased and its
revenue no larger than before. Eighty thousand persons peti-
tioned for the Sunday opening, and yet the number of pay-
ing members has decreased since May 31st by 225. Avery
serious loss to the collections has already been sustained
without the slightest compensatory benefit. What was
represented by the newspapers as a universal demand that the
Museum be opened on Sunday was accompanied by a popular
subscription that defrayed the additional expense for only

* William C. Prime, than whom scarcely a man was more valuable to
the Museum, resigned as Vice President and Trustee, because his prin-
ciples on Sunday observance. His comrades, after a futile attempt ,t,' per-
suade him to reconsider, were forced to accept his resignation, but they .'‘ook
this occasion to show their appreciation of his long leadership by a ' ^
him to sit for his portrait to Daniel Huntington.

245

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

about four months. Fhe Trustees are far from wishing to
take a backward step; but unless permanent provision can be
made for the expense the Museum will have to be closed on
Sunday.

“ In order to settle the question and to place the finances
of the Museum on a firm basis, the Trustees have proposed to
the Board of Estimate and Apportionment of the City of
New York that it should appropriate funds sufficient to de-
fray the entire running expenses of the Museum, in consider-
ation of the latter being opened free of charge to the public
every day of the week and on Tuesday and Saturday even-
ings. There is reason to hope that if appropriate legislation
can be secured at Albany, the Board of Estimate will act
favorably on the above proposition when next submitted.”

Such legislation was secured in May, 1892, by an act
authorizing the Board of Estimate and Apportionment to
appropriate a sum not to exceed ^70,000, in addition to the
§25,000 already authorized by law, for the maintenance of
the Museum (§95,000 being the estimate of probable
expense made by a Committee of the Trustees), provided it
should be kept open free to the public every day in the year
and two evenings in every week.^ The Board of Estimate,
contrary to this authorization, appropriated but §50,000,
a sum insufficient in itself and the acceptance of which
carried with it an agreement to abolish pay days, from
which change a considerable loss of income must be antici-
pated both in dues of annual members and in admission
fees." Since the Board of Estimate failed to appropriate the
full amount, although they did later increase the appropria-
tion to §70,000, an appeal was made to the Legislature to
amend the former act so as to permit the continuance of the

' For act, see Charter, Constitution, By-Laws, Lease. Laws, page 5 1 .

* The Treasurer’s books show no receipts from admission fees from
January, 1893, through April, 1893, which would seem sufficient evidence
that for four months pay days were actually abolished.

246

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

two pay days.^ With this amendment the whole matter
ended. Sunday opening had come to stay; the Sunday
attendance from 1891 to the present has proved by far the
largest of the week. The average number of visit'
Sunday is over 5,000.

Certainly Sunday opening may be considered as one
phase of the Museum’s educational work. Though no
instructor teaches and no lecturer talks, the collections
themselves exert a silent influence that is broadly educational
to the visitors, many of whom cannot come under their spell
on other days.

The more direct educational work of the Art Schools con-
tinued for several years longer. In 1887 the classes were
conducted in new quarters, this time at the northeast corner
of Third Avenue and Forty-ninth Street in two large rooms,
50 by 120 feet, which had been subdivided to meet the needs
of the different classes. To the curriculum was added a Life
Class. The plan for some years had been to remove the
schools to the basement of the Museum itself just as soon as
possible after the completion of the new wing. This was
advocated both for economy and for convenience; the rental
would be saved, and the collections would be immediately
accessible to the pupils. With the Art Schools as with the
Museum itself, financial problems had always been perplex-
ing. Although to Mr. Reed’s ^50,000 had been added in
1887 an Endowment Fund of $^0,000 by Henry G. Mar-
quand, whose benefactions extended to so many and such
varied activities of the Museum, yet it always remained
a difficult matter for the Art Schools to make income meet
expenditure. On October i , 1889, the last change of location
was accomplished, and the Art Schools were finally under the
parental roof. But neither in light nor in healthfulness were

'■ For amendment, see Charter, Constitution, By-Laws, Lease, Laws,
page 54.

247

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

the new rooms satisfactory; on the contrary, they soon proved
utterly unsuitable and inadequate.

From the list of studies at this time, it would seem that the
schools had gradually assumed a new character. Whereas
industrial art had earlier been raised to the place of impor-
tance and the artist-artisans had been the class the schools
sought to reach, now the studies taught were those included
in the typical art school, such as the Art Students’ League.
For instance, in i8go the curriculum embraced preparatory,
antique, life, and still life classes and classes in architecture,
ornamental design, illustration, and sculpture.

Upon the death in March, 1892, of Arthur L. Tuckerman,
for five years Director of the Art Schools, a change in
administration became necessary and a reorganization
seemed desirable. The schools had ceased to have any
vital relation to the Museum itself; but slight use of the
collections as teaching material was made; the major part of
the income was exhausted by large elementar}' classes in
drawing and painting, for teaching which the Museum had
surely no greater advantages than many a school in the city.
In the gradual evolution of the schools such classes had
usurped the place of more advanced classes for whose work
the Museum collections would be of unquestioned value.
The School Committee of the Trustees, arguing that they
were under no obligations to teach elementar)' drawing and
painting any more than the Trustees of the Astor Library
were to teach reading and writing, strongly advocated drop-
ping the elementary classes and creating classes for the study
of the Museum itself, the only study for which the Trustees
were responsible and for which they alone were responsible.
In the words of the resolution passed May 16, 1892, the Trus-
tees recognized that it was “their main office in the matter of
education to make the .Museum itself intelligible and in-
structive,’’ and they approved “the organization in the

248

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

schools of the Museum of special classes for the study of
special kinds of objects, and of the employment from time to
time of experts in the different matters illustrated in these
collections, to give public lectures upon them.” This pro-
gram was not carried out fully until the spring of 1894, when
the elementary classes, which could not be made self-support-
ing, were discontinued in the interest of advanced work con-
nected with the study of the collections themselves. The
instruction in architecture had earlier been brought into line
with this new policy by restricting it wholly to the systematic
study of the Willard Collection of Casts.

This crisis in the Art Schools came about partly in conse-
quence of a munificent offer of a special fund of $24,000 to
provide a Traveling Scholarship for the Study of Mural
Painting, to be awarded to a male student in Painting in
the schools of the Museum. This gift came from Mrs.
Amelia B. Lazarus and her daughter. Miss Emilie Lazarus,
who wished thus to erect a memorial to Jacob H. Lazarus,
who was an artist and a student of Henry Inman. The
scholarship was to be known as The Jacob H. Lazarus Travel-
ing Scholarship. The difficulty connected with the accep-
tance of this gift came through the fact that the classes
already existing in the Museum Schools were not sufficiently
advanced to provide candidates qualified to compete for such
a scholarship.

The special committee appointed to consider this offer
reported that it would be ‘‘ practicable to establish a class of
advanced students eminently worthy of such a benefaction,”
and such a class would draw prize pupils from many schools
and furnish a sort of post-graduate course for a serious study
of the Museum collections, paintings, drawings, casts, and
other works. At the end of the course, which should occupy
two seasons, all who so desired should become candidates
for the Jacob H. Lazarus Scholarship. This should be

249

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

awarded to the man presenting the best painting upon an
assigned subject. This plan was carried out; John La Large,
considered by all preeminently the man to undertake the
work, was placed in charge of the class. About twenty per-
sons were enrolled, a number of them prize-students from
The National Academy of Design, The Art Students’
League, and schools of art in Buffalo, Detroit, and Chicago.
Throughout the world of art, this class was looked upon as
“the crown and culminating point of artistic education in
this country,” as Professor William R. Ware, Chairman of
the Committee on Schools, wrote to Mrs. Lazarus. Al-
though in another year all classes in the Art Schools were
given up, the Lazarus Scholarship remains as a permanent
reminder of the decade and a half when there were Museum
Art Schools. The first recipient of the scholarship was
George W. Breck, who was appointed in 1896. Since the
closing of the Museum School, the scholarship has been
administered by a committee of artists in cooperation with
the Trustees of the Museum.

Another educational factor, cooperation with Columbia
University, which was effected in 1892, may possibly have
been an indirect result of the Museum experiment in
maintaining Art Schools. For this helpful relationship the
Museum was greatly indebted to Augustus C. Merriam,
Professor of Greek Archaeology, and President Seth Low.
Of the latter Professor Merriam wrote in a letter to General
Cesnola on October 22, 1891, “He (President Low) is ver\-
much in earnest to see some connection of mutual helpfulness
brought about between the Museum and Columbia Univer-
sity, and it was at his request that 1 held the conversation
with you about it.” The Museum readily agreed to a plan
of cooperation which may be briefly summarized as follows:
Columbia should grant to students in the Museum Art
Schools free admission to certain courses on art given at the

250

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

University, and should furnish speakers for a course of public
lectures on art to be given at the Museum. The Museum
for its part should grant to students in the University every
opportunity on the two pay days for copying or sketching
at the Museum, or for lectures delivered before the objects
themselves, and should provide a room capable of seating five
hundred persons, with lantern and slides for the public
lectures.

Under this happy arrangement lectures that proved so
popular as to tax the capacity of the hall were given on Satur-
day mornings during about three months of each year until
the winter of 1900-1901. The New York public was thus
enabled to hear such distinguished authorities in different
branches of art as Russell Sturgis, President of the Archi-
tectural League, Dr. A. C. Merriam and Professor A. D. T.
Hamlin of Columbia, Professor John C. Van Dyke of Rutgers,
Rev. William Hayes Ward, the distinguished Orientalist, and
Louis Fagan, for twenty-seven years Keeper of Prints in the
British Museum.

Earlier than this arrangement, lectures had been given, as
hitherto, for the Art School pupils, and occasionally a public
lecture was held under Museum auspices. Eighteen hun-
dred and ninety was a record year for lectures. Alexander
S. Murray, Keeper of Greek and Roman Antiquities in the
British Museum, visited New York in May by special invita-
tion and delivered three notable lectures on Ancient Greek
Art; Louis Fagan, of the same museum, who was in America,
was engaged to deliver two lectures, one on wood-engraving,
the other on etching, which “were highly appreciated by
large audiences.”

To one constitutional amendment of this period — the
creation of the office of Honorary President for Life — refer-
ence has already been made. Other important changes were
made in 1892. The officers, who had been elected hitherto

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

by the Annual Meeting, were now to be elected by the Trus-
tees from the Life Members. Extensive changes in the
classes of membership were made, to fit new conditions.
With the increase of wealth in the hands of individuals,
much larger sums of money were given or bequeathed to
the Museum than had been possible forty years before.
Accordingly, a new class of members, called Benefactors, was
established, to which those should be eligible who had given
or bequeathed $50,000; the Patrons and Fellows in Perpetuity
were made one class and the sum required to enter this class
was raised to $5,000 from $1,000 and $500 respectively; the
Fellows for Life should now contribute $1,000.

With the Willard and Marquand Collections of casts as a
nucleus, the extension of the cast collection to practically its
present size was accomplished during the years 1891-1895.
For this purpose, at the initiative of Robert W. de Forest,
a Special Committee on Casts was appointed, with power
both to raise the necessary funds and to select and purchase
the casts. I his committee, consisting of Henry G. Mar-
quand, Chairman, Robert W. de Forest, Vice Chairman,
Edward D. Adams, Howard Mansfield, George F. Baker, John
S. Kennedy, Pierre Le Brun, Allan Marquand, Augustus C.
Merriam, Francis D. Millet, Frederick W. Rhinelander,
Augustus St. Gaudens, Louis C. Tiffany, John 0. A. Ward,
William R. Ware, and Stanford White, took as its avowed
purpose, “ to obtain a complete collection of casts, historical!}'
arranged, so as to illustrate the progress and development of
plastic art in all epochs, and mainly in those which have
influenced our own civilization. ” Money was raised by sub-
scription to the amount of nearly $60,000, and Edward Rob-
inson, then Curator of Classical Antiquities in the Museum
of Fine Arts in Boston, was appointed purchasing agent.
“While the labors of this committee were in progress, the
Museum received two bequests which were of especial bene-

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

fit to the collection. The first was that of George W. Cul-
lum, who died in February, 1892, leaving it a fund [^20,000]
‘with which to furnish casts of famous statuary and works
of architecture, to be known as the Cullum Collection.’ The
second was a legacy from John Taylor Johnston, to which
was added a large subscription made by him before his death
in 1893, for the work of the special committee, and a further
sum contributed by his children, in order to make the total thus
given [^25,000] sufficient to pay for all the casts of the Italian
Renaissance period ordered under the direction of the
Committee, and to provide for the maintenance and growth
of this branch of the collection, upon the understanding that
it should be known as the John Taylor Johnston Collection.

“Another valuable contribution to the undertaking of the
same committee was the gift of its treasurer, Edward D.
Adams, of a complete series of reproductions, in bronze, of
the bronze sculptures found in the villa at Herculaneum
. . ., the originals of which are now in the Museum of

Naples.”^

It is interesting to note that of the gentlemen who were
enlisted in this undertaking and who at the time had no
official relation to the Museum, Mr. Robinson has since
become Director and four, Messrs. Adams, Baker, Mans-
field, and Millet, later became Trustees.

In many different directions the collections were growing
during these years, largely by gift and bequest, since the
funds of the Museum were insufficient for large purchases.
Henry G. Marquand continued his benefactions to. the
Museum in many lines. Renaissance metalwork, porcelain,
and manuscripts were included in his gifts; but most impor-
tant of all was the presentation of his collection of 35 paint-
ings, mostly Old Masters, which had been on exhibition as a
loan. This valuable gift was made in a modest manner with

‘ Catalogue of the Collection of Casts, page viii.

253

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

no conditions attached, only the expressed wish that, so far
as practicable, the paintings might be kept together. Among
these are some of the best known and most esteemed treas-
ures of the Museum paintings, including Van Dyck’s James
Stuart, a Rembrandt Portrait of a Man, and Vermeer’s
Young Woman at a Casement. The Museum has been glad
in recent years to call one gallery The Marquand Gallery.
There have been placed some of these 35 paintings with
other pictures regarded as masterpieces.

Upon the death of Joseph W. Drexel, an honored Trustee
and Patron, Mrs. Lucy W. Drexel, in furtherance of what she
believed to have been her husband’s wishes, gave to the
Museum six distinct collections that during Mr. Drexel’s
lifetime had been lent to the Museum. These collections,
covering a wide field, consisted of Egyptian antiquities, coins,
ancient musical instruments, Arabic carved wood, en-
graved gems, and books and manuscripts. In addition
to this generous disposition of her husband’s possessions,
Mrs. Drexel presented at the same time her own treas-
ures of gold and silver, including watches, enamels, and
miniatures.

A much larger collection of musical instruments, about
270, was received the following month, February, 1889, from
Mrs. John Crosb\’ Brown. These, chiefly from Oriental
nations and savage tribes, with a few from Europe, were
classified and catalogued by her son, William Adams
Brown. In her letter presenting this interesting collection,
Mrs. Brown asked to have access to the collection for pur-
poses of study during her lifetime and that of her son, and
to be permitted both to exchange inferior examples for those
of greater worth and to add to the collection. These privi-
leges were gladly granted and have been used ever since
to the great advantage of the .Museum. The collection now
numbers over 3,600 examples and fills five galleries. It is

254

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

quite the equal of any European collection and in regard to
installation ranks first.

A bequest by Edward C. Moore of the firm of Messrs.
Tiffany & Co. of what has since been called The Edward C.
Moore Collection was received in 1891 through the kindnessof
the family. Mr. Moore’s will bequeathed all his collection to
“such well established and incorporated museum or similar
institution” as his executors appointed, and they chose The
Metropolitan Museum. One condition was attached to the
bequest, that the objects should be kept together and
preserved as a separate collection. The description of this
valued collection may well be given in the words of the
Annual Report for that year, “ Mr. Moore was a most
intelligent collector and gathered round him examples of
excellence and beauty from both ancient and modern art.
Directed intuitively to what was of genuine worth, as well as
by correct and cultivated taste in selection, he acquired from
various parts of the world rare and remarkable treasures in
great numbers. The collection includes antique Greek,
Roman, and Etruscan vases; Tanagra groups and figurines;
glass, jewelry, porcelain, metalwork, and other objects of
art, together with a reference library of many hundred
valuable illustrated works.”

The Library collection of manuscripts and incunabula, of
which the nucleus came through the gift of Mrs. Lucy Drexel,
was enriched this same year by an illuminated manuscript of
Saint Augustine’s De Civitate Dei, in three volumes,
received from Miss Mary LeRoy King.

Two valuable accessions of ceramics belong to this period;
a well-selected collection of Japanese pottery and porcelain,
the gift of Charles Stewart Smith, and one including both
Japanese and Chinese pottery presented by Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Colman.

In 1893 the Museum came into the possession of a col-
■ 255

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

lection, consisting of tapestries, vases, statuary, and paint-
ings, and a fund of $20,000, received by legacy from Mrs.
Elizabeth U. Coles.

In 1892 Cyrus W. Field, who had been a Patron of the
Museum since 1876, showed his interest in its success and
confidence in its management by presenting to the Museum
his collection of objects associated with the laying of the
Atlantic Cable, including medals and other testimonials in
his honor, a series of paintings illustrative of the work of lay-
ing the cable, and specimens showing the process of cable
construction. In this connection we might recall what has
been noted in Chapter 11, .Mr. Field’s interest in the pur-
chase of the Cesnola Collection. General Cesnola, in a
letter to Mrs. Isabelle Field Judson, wrote: “ It was through
your father that my collection became the property of The
Metropolitan Mu.seum of Art. It was he who introduced
me to Mr. Gladstone, Earl Granville, Mr. .Adams, then
United States minister in Fondon; also to the Dean of
Westminster and Fady Augusta Stanley, and to many other
of his English friends. He invited a large party to meet
me at dinner, and also brought many to see my Cypriote
Collection. 1 doubt if, without the great personal interest
shown by your father, it would ever have become the pro-
perty of The Metropolitan Museum; because it was only
after this that the Fondon press went wild over securing it for
England.

“ 1 have said, and shall always say, that it is chiefly, if not
wholly, due to Cyrus \\'. Field that my discoveries are in this
city today.”

Before turning to the next period with its enlarged build-
ing and increased facilities, we might pause one moment to
put on record an almost forgotten chapter of the histor\' of
New York. In 1889 the possibility of a much greater build-
ing loomed before the Trustees, a sort of mirage that lured

256

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

them on, only to vanish the following year. It happened on
this wise. New York hoped> and even expected to be chosen
as the location of ainWorld’s Columbian Exposition to be
held in 1892,, the exposition which we know as the Chicago
World’s Fai,r of.;j893. To New Yorkers no other place
except their own city seemed worth considering for a mo-
ment, and accordingly the mayor. Honorable Hugh J. Grant,
appointed committees for all the preliminary work of an
exposition, among others a Committee on Site and Buildings.
This body investigated sites many, each of which had its
ardent advocates and equally ardent opponents, and finally
recommended “that the site be selected from the lands
between ninety-seventh and one hundred and twenty-
seventh streets. Fourth Avenue, and the North River, com-
prising Morningside and Riverside Parks and the inter-
mediate lands. Central Park north of the large reservoir,
and the lands, adjacent to that part of Central Park.” But
their troubles were by no means past; their suggestion of
using the northern part of Central Park aroused bitter
opposition, as it necessitated the repealing of an act passed in
1881, which forbade the use of Central Park for any such
purpose, and was contrary to the sentiment of many people.

The attention of the Committee on Site and Buildings was
called to another possibility, the use of Manhattan Square
and the Art Museum grounds instead of the upper part of
the park, i The advantages of this plan are set forth with
elaborate detail in a printed letter dated October i , 188^, and ;
addressed to Mayor Grant. From this we quote :’'''^'‘ Man‘^i
hattan Square lies outside of the Park limits proper, and the
Art Museum is so located that the plan proposed cannot
injure the Park; Besides, it has been for many years the
settled purpose of the City to complete the buildings now
commenced there. ...

“ If the City should spend, say ^5,000,000 on the two

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Museum Buildings and give their use, it would be, for the
purposes of the Exposition, almost equivalent to a subscrip-
tion by the City of that amount of money; while to the City,
it would only be anticipating an expenditure already con-
templated and which will probably be made, in any event,
within about ten years. . . .

“ But this expenditure .... would bring a large
return to the City besides assisting the Exposition. The
holding of a part of the Exposition in these buildings would
result in many donations to the City of articles and collec-
tions, which would be sent for exhibition and allowed to
remain. This was the case in Philadelphia in 1876.

“The existence of the buildings ready to receive col-
lections would continue to be a strong incentive to persons to
make further gifts and bequests.

“Another and great advantage would be that the Expo-
sition would have from its start the valuable aid and assis-
tance of the Officers of these Institutions. . . .

“The Art Museum and Museum of Natural History
grounds could be connected by a railroad through the
transverse road at 79th Street, so that visitors could be con-
veyed from inside one inclosure to the other b\' continuous
passage in about two minutes, the distance being a little over
half a mile. A railroad could be also built for conveying
visitors by continuous passage from within the grounds of the
Museum of Natural History to within the Main Exhibition
grounds at i loth Street in less than five minutes, the distance
being one and a half miles.

“This separation of the Exposition grounds and buildings
into different parts would greatly facilitate the transpor-
tation of visitors to and from the Exposition and thus help to
solve one of its most difficult problems.

“ By this plan one principal entrance would be at about
Seventy-ninth Street and Eifth Avenue, another at Seventy-

258

THE FIRST ADDITION TO THE BUILDING

seventh Street and Ninth Avenue, and another at One Hun-
dred and Tenth Street, and still another at One Hundred and
Twenty-second Street.”

The Committee on Site and Buildings put themselves on
record as not averse to this scheme, and asked for a con-
ference. The Trustees, acting judicially, coupled the
appointment of the desired committee for consultation with a
resolution, “That the Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum
of Art have great interest in the proposed Exposition of 1892
in the City of New York, and desire as far as may be in their
power, to aid the successful carrying out of the project con-
sistently with their duties and the interest of this Institu-
tion.” The joint committee representing the two museums
and the International Exposition met several times and
finally, as General Cesnola wrote in a memorandum, "died
of natural death.”

The Exposition itself, on the contrary, suffered a violent
death, for Congress was so unreasonable as to ignore the
claims of Father Knickerbocker and to listen to those of
Chicago.

259

-'f '

•• • r: ■

; -‘f

• ■ ■ ■ >( ): /}.

i

CHAPTER VI

CONTINUED EXTENSION

1895 — 1905

FREDERICK W. RHINELANDER
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH

CHAPTER V!

CONTINUED EXTENSION

1895 — 1905

ON November 5, 1894, came the Museum’s third
opening in the Park, when the new North Wing
was delivered to the Trustees with fitting cere-
monies. For this extension the first architect was Arthur L.
Tuckerman, who was personally interested in the building
through his position as Principal of the Art Schools, as well as
through his earlier association with Theodore Weston, the
architect of the South Wing, in preparing the plans for both
the south and the north wing. His own application gives
briefly his qualifications, “ 1 myself drew the bulk of the filed
plans and know the building and all its needs so thoroughly
that there is scarcely a measurement 1 cannot recollect or a
moulding or a stone. In fact, 1 have devoted five years to the
study of the requirements of the building.” Upon Mr.
Tuckerman’s sad death in the prime of life abroad, where he
had gone in quest of health, the work was placed in the
hands of Joseph Wolf. It is fitting to copy here a portion
of the resolution of the Trustees when they learned of Mr.
Tuckerman’s death, “ By his exceptional kindliness of disposi-
tion and habitual courtesy of manner (he) had won for him-
self the sincere regard of teachers and scholars alike. We
hereby record our appreciation of his untiring devotion to all
the interests of the institution committed to his charge until

265

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

obliged unwillingly to abandon his work in obedience to
the peremptory orders of his Physician.”

These successive openings read much alike, for such occa-
sions naturally follow a stereotyped plan with music, prayer,
and speeches. This one, according to the New York Times, ^
was unfortunate in two respects: it was a stormy day — evi-
dently the weather man has never favored art even from the
“inclement” evening of Samuel F. B. Morse’s first lecture on
art in 1826 to the present day; it was also the day before elec-
tion, and “the interests of all active-minded people (even of
the female sex)” were “largely absorbed by the election.”
Prayer was offered by His Grace, Archbishop Corrigan; the
New Wing was delivered to the Trustees by Hon. George C.
Clausen, President of the Department of Public Parks, ac-
cepted for the Trustees by Henry G. Marquand, President of
the Museum, and declared open by Hon. Ashbel P. Fitch,
Comptroller of the City, in the place of the Mayor.

fhe Trustees were especially eager to make this occasion
memorable. For one thing, the invitations were designed
and engraved by Edwin Davis French, whose excellent work
is represented also in the Museum Library book-plates. For
another, a banquet at The Waldorf formed a pleasant close to
the day. On this occasion fifty-five guests sat down at the
table. Hon. Joseph H. Choate presided, introducing the
following speakers: Henry G. .Marquand, Bishop Henry
C. Potter, Archbishop Corrigan, Hon. Seth Low, Professor
William M. Sloane of Princeton University, Dr. William
C. Prime, Professor John F. Weir, General Cesnola, Charles
Dudley Warner, Parke Godwin, General Horace Porter, and
Hon. Chauncey .M. Depew. -

Now that the Trustees had increased spaceat their disposal,
they resumed their policy of holding loan exhibitions by plan-

■N. Y. Times, Nov. 6, 1894.

'These names are taken from the N. Y. Herald of Nov. 5, 1894.

266

CONTINUED EXTENSION

ning at once forsuchanexhibition of paintings and miniatures
“illustrative of early American art” and “representing men
and women of distinction in the early social, military, naval,
and political history of our country, embracing the time imme-
diately preceding the Declaration of Independence, and for
fifty years thereafter.” This exhibition, declared to be “be-
yond comparison the most comprehensive and representative
collection of its kind ever brought together,” was opened in
the fall of 1895. The catalogue, which contained entries of

NORTH WING OF THE MUSEUM

140 oil paintings and 21 miniatures, continued in demand
both here and abroad after the exhibition closed.

A second loan exhibition of paintings was held from May 28
to October 15, 1900. This, a memorial exhibition of the
works of Frederic E. Church, N. A., a member of the Mu-
seum’s original Board of Trustees, was held at the earnest
wish of several friends of the artist. The catalogue, more
elaborate in form than the usual Museum publication, con-
tained an introduction written by Charles Dudley Warner,
a portrait of the artist, and fourteen full-page half-tone illus-
trations of his paintings.

The work of both of these exhibitions devolved largely

267

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

upon George H. Story, who became Curator of Paintings in
1889 and continued in that position until 1906, when he asked
to be relieved from his duties, and was honored with the posi-
tion of Curator Emeritus, which he continues to hold.

Two other uses for the increased space now available were
as a bicycle-room, where cyclists during their visits might
find safe storage for their wheels, and a moulding department,
where casts of the statuary might be made. The need for a
moulding atelier had been felt for several years, both for
convenience and as a source of income. In 1893 a special
committee appointed to consider the question reported in
favor of establishing such a department as soon as
space could be secured for its installation. A few
moulds were obtained and work commenced on a small scale,
awaiting the opportunity to establish a permanent atelier
adequate to the demands made upon the Museum by colleges,
art schools, libraries, and other museums. Although this
department was never fully established and no longer exists,
several orders were satisfactorily filled. Casts of the forty
slabs of the Parthenon frieze and of the Venus of Melos were
made during 1898; during the following year a cast of the
altarpiece by Luca della Robbia, which was the gift of .Mr.
Marquand, and one of George Grey Barnard’s Two Natures
were sent to Archbishop Corrigan and the Chicago Art
Institute respectively.

The next decade might well be termed an era of prosper-
ity. I'here were no great crises to face, no great problems
to solve. There was, indeed, the constant strain occa-
sioned by an income insufficient to allow of wise pur-
chases, but the course of events was singularly quiet and
undisturbed. That the confidence of the community was
with the Museum was evinced by the frequenc}- with which
gifts great and small were committed to the care of the
frustees. Some they must thankfully decline, for example,

268

CONTINUED EXTENSION

“a collection representing monkeys in various materials,”
but many they might with equal thankfulness accept.
Illustrative of some of the absurd offers that reached the
Museum in those days is one spoken of in the following
paragraph from the New York Herald of March 3, 1897.
“A New York woman wrote to the director of The Met-
ropolitan Museum of Art the other day saying that she
owned a treasure which she would like to sell at once, for
she was hard up. This treasure, she said, was a painting
of Saint Michael slaying the dragon. It was very old, but
fairly well preserved. Her great grandfather had dug it out
of the ruins of Herculaneum. The director replied, saying
that if the facts were as set forth the lady had a treasure of
priceless value. It was worth millions, if it was worth a cent.
‘Herculaneum,’ said he, ‘has been lying under the lava of
Vesuvius for 2,000 years. That the canvas should have
escaped destruction when the mountain poured forth its fiery
contents on the towns at its base is indeed remarkable. That
it has further resisted the disintegrating hand of time is no
less remarkable. That the artist should have shown a spirit
of prophecy and delineated an incident of the Christian
religion long before it happened is more than remarkable.
It is miraculous. You should keep the Saint Michael.’
In answer to this the woman wrote again, saying: ‘ If the
picture is really so valuable, I don’t see why you won’t
take it at ^500.’”

To record worthily all the gifts and bequests of note be-
comes increasingly difficult. It is desirable, however, to give
brief space to a few prominent additions. For example, the
bulk of the present exhibition of arms and armor was ac-
quired by the gift of the Ellis Collection and the purchase
of the Dino Collection. The former, consisting of 166
pieces and two tapestries, brought together by John S.
Ellis, of Ellislea, Westchester, was received after his death

269

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

in 1896 through the generosity of Mrs. Ellis and her son, A.
Van Horne Ellis, and in the name of John S. Ellis. The latter
collection, which “may safely be regarded as the most valua-
ble gathering of arms and armor in America,” was purchased
in 1904 from the owner, Maurice de Talleyrand-Perigord,
Due de Dino, a well-known connoisseur on arms and armor,
through the advice and initiative of Rutherfurd Stuyvesant,
one of the Founders of the Museum, as well as one of the
earliest collectors of armor in the country.

The name of George A. Hearn begins to appear frequently
on the pages of the Annual Reports through virtue of his
gifts and loans to the Department of Paintings. J. Pierpont
Morgan, also, has begun his princely giving to the Museum,
of which he was at this time a Trustee. In 1900 he offered
as a gift a collection of classical Greek objects in gold and
three paintings. Samuel P. Avery continued his benefactions
along many lines and Mrs. S. P. Avery in 1897 presented to
the Museum 289 old silver spoons collected during the years
1 867- 1 890.

By bequest from Joseph H. Durkee came an interesting
collection of about 8,000 ancient coins, Roman, Arabic, East
Indian, and Chinese, in gold, silver, copper, and other mate-
rials. Other bequests of note were those of R. G. Dun, Os-
good Field, and Henry Villard. The first, made in 1900,
gave to the Museum all or any part of .Mr. Dun’s collection
of pictures that the Trustees might select. By this bequest
there reverted to the Museum upon the death of .Mrs. Dun
in 1911 five pictures of importance belonging to the modern
French school. The second, that of Osgood Field, gave to
the Museum a varied list of works of art, which he termed
bric-a-brac. As some of these were not suitable for the .Mu-
seum, the bequest was declined. Thereupon .Mr. Field’s
nephew, William B. Osgood Field, generousl\- offered to
present to the Museum, in his uncle’s name, such part of the

270

CONTINUED EXTENSION

collection as the Trustees could accept. Upon these terms
the Trustees gladly received the bequest, which contained a
number of Italian majolica vases of great value, as well as
a collection of the faience of Asia Minor and Persia. The
bequest of Henry Villard was ^5,000 in money, a gift over
which no question of acceptance ever arises;

One of the earlier bequests to the Museum was $5,000
given by William Earl Dodge in 1883 and employed as a
fund for purchasing works of art. Fifteen years later
William E. Dodge, the son, who served as a Trustee contin-
uously for over a quarter of a century, and was its first vice-
president at the time of his death in 1903, contributed
$20,000 as a supplement to this gift, on the understanding
that the entire income should be used to buy objects of art.

A pleasurable unexpectedness characterized the largest be-
quest the Museum ever received. In 1883 Jacob S. Rogers
became an Annual Member, and continued such until his
death in 1901 . Each year he paid his $10, usually in person,
and one year he received upon request a copy of the Museum
charter, constitution, lease, and by-laws. When after Mr.
Rogers’ death in 1901 his will was made public, it appeared
that the Museum had been made the residuary legatee of an
estate estimated from $5,500,000 to 000, 000, on the follow-
ing terms; “The income only of the fund hereby created, or
intended so to be, to be used for the purchase of rare and
desirable art objects, and in the purchase of books for the
Library of said Museum, and for such purposes exclusively;
the principal of said fund is not to be used, diminished, or
impaired for any purpose whatever.” The Trustees were
surprised and almost overwhelmed to have at last what for a
long time they had been asking for, a large fund for the pur-
chase of objects of art. Such a bequest spelled opportunity.
It was like an emancipation proclamation, striking off
the shackles of a strict economy which had hampered

271

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

every movement up to this time. In the words of William
E. Dodge, “The wonderful will of Jacob Rogers with its
splendid possibilities for the Museum has astonished us all
greatly. It seems like a golden dream.” J. Edwards Clarke
of the National Bureau of Education in his congratulations
to General Cesnola voiced the feeling of many friends of
the institution, “It is an event on which the whole United
States are to be congratulated; for it gives pecuniary inde-
pendence to the chief art power of the country. What the
Trustees and officers of the Museum have already accom-
plished is like a fairy tale in its splendor. The opportunities
that now open before them are simply bewildering.”

Such great resources were not contemplated when the Con-
stitution of 1870 was adopted nor was provision made for
them in the successive amendments to that constitution.
The elective committees did not include a Einance Committee.
In lieu of this the Executive Committee had appointed from
its membership a sub-committee to perform the duties natu-
rally devolving upon a Einance Committee. In 1902 there
was added to the committees annually elected by the Trustees
from their own number, a Einance Committee to have charge
of the real estate, moneys, and securities of the endowment
and all other permanent funds of the .Museum, with authority
to invest and re-invest them. They were to deposit the
securities in a Trust Company or Safe Deposit Company
approved by the Executive Committee, receive the income,
pay the same to the Treasurer, and report annualh’ to the
Trustees. Thus the machinery was made ready for the
custody and use of a large fund.

Eortunately there existed no legal barrier to the acceptance
of a bequest that carried with it the holding and sale of real
estate. A few years before, when the fact was brought to the
attention of the Trustees that the charter might not give them
such rights, they had secured the passage of an act amend-

272

CONTINUED EXTENSION

ing the charter in this particular. This act, passed March
4, 1898, enabled the corporation to “take and hold by gift,
devise, bequest, purchase, or lease, either absolutely or in
trust, for any purpose comprised in the objects of the corpor-
ation, any real or persona! property necessary or proper for
the purposes of its incorporation.”

Two of the most interesting accessions bought during 1903
with the income of the Rogers Fund are the Boscoreale
frescoes, taken from a villa in Boscoreale, a village on the
southern slope of Vesuvius that shared the fate of Pompeii,
and the Etruscan bronze biga of the sixth century B. C.,
which was discovered in fragments in a tomb on a hillside
near Monteleone di Spoleto, in Umbria.

On April 21, 1902, Heber R. Bishop entered into an agree-
ment with the Museum, of which he was a Trustee, to transfer
to its possession and keeping his extensive collection of jade,
which was displayed in the ball room of his residence, and to
give $55,000 in bonds for the construction of a room for the
exhibition of this collection. This room should be in sub-
stance a replica of the interior of his ball room. The under-
standing was that the collection should be displayed as a
unit, and no other objects except those added by the family
be placed in the room. To Carrere and Hastings was in-
trusted the work of carrying out Mr. Bishop’s plans in one of
the rooms of the new East Wing. This was, then, the first
instance in this Museum of a donor’s planning and con-
structing the room which should house his treasure.

Upon Mr. Bishop’s death, December 10, 1902, his will was
found to contain a codicil, providing for payment of such addi-
tional sums as might be necessary for the construction and
equipment of the Bishop Room. In it he also directed his
executors to continue the preparation of the catalogue of his
collection, a work on which he had been engaged for many
years, and to present the edition to the principal museums

273

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

and libraries of all nations. “ During Mr. Bishop’s last trip
to Japan and China in 1892, while in the latter country he
met that great admirer of Japan, Sir Edwin Arnold, and it
was at his suggestion that . . . George Frederick Kunz,

Ph. D., was invited to take charge of the scientific part of
the book. Upon Mr. Bishop’s arrival in New York, a confer-
ence was held and an outline of the work planned, cover-
ing a most thorough investigation of the subject of jade.
. . . Neither care nor expense was spared in carrying on

the work; some thirty scientists and specialists, both in
Europe and America, were engaged to contribute their views
upon aspects of the subject; the illustrations were prepared
in the best possible manner, Chinese and Japanese artists
being employed to execute many of them, and color experts
were freely consulted under the supervision of .Mr. Bishop.
The plan of the whole work, in its every detail, was carefully
thought out by him, from its inception in 1886 when he pur-
chased his first piece of jade . . . until the final distri-

bution of the volumes.”^

The year 1902 also marked the loan by George \V. Van-
derbilt of the valuable collection of 135 modern paintings
made by his father, William H. Vanderbilt, a collection by
European artists, generally of the last half of the nineteenth
century, which contains works by Corot, Troyon, Diaz,
Rousseau, Dupre, and Millet, including Millet’s Sower and
Water Carrier. This generous loan was offered through
Samuel P. Avery, who had helped Mr. Vanderbilt in se-
curing so rich a collection and in turn helped the .Museum
to secure it as a loan.

From 1893 until 1901, the annual maintenance appropria-
tion which the city was authorized to make stood at
^95,000. Then by an act of the legislature it was raised on

‘Occasional Notes, No. II. Supplement to the Bulletin, May,
MCMVl, p. 2.

274

EAST WING OF THE MUSEUM
AS PLANNED

EAST WING OF THE MUSEUM
AS COMPLETED

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

March yth to $150,000, at which figure it stood until April
27, 1906, when by another act it was increased to $200,000,
the amount received for maintenance at the present time.

These successive additions to the appropriation have been
occasioned by the increased needs of an enlarged and re-
peatedly enlarging plant. Before 1905, which has seemed a
reasonable date with which to close this chapter, because it
marks a clearly-defined change in administration, the third
wing, known as the East Wing, had been constructed and
occupied. The proper action to secure an appropriation of
$1,000,000 for building this wing was taken in 1895, the act
becoming a law on April i8th.^ To Richard Morris Hunt,
an efficient T rustee of the Museum from its incorporation, was
intrusted not merely the plan for this new extension but the
work of laying out the general scheme that all future addi-
tions should follow until the entire area set aside for the use
of the Museum by the enabling act of April 5, 1871, should
be covered and the original brick building be completelx' sur-
rounded with connecting buildings. Mr. Hunt’s lamented
death occasioned the need for the appointment of a new
architect. The choice rested upon Richard Howland Hunt,
the son, who had often talked over the problems of construc-
tion with his father and so could give a continuity to the
work that no other architect could have given. George B.
Post accepted the place of consulting architect. The build-
ing, which had first faced west and later south, now' looked
toward the east, as the principal entrance was constructed in
the new wing. This portion of the building was not of brick
like the earlier parts, but of Indiana limestone. The
fafade was enriched by medallions and car\atids
designed by and executed under the supervision of Karl
Bitter. The medallions bear the heads of certain Old Masters
selected by the Building Committee: Bramante, Diirer,

‘ See Charter, Constitution, By-Laws, Lease, Laws, p. 55.

276

CON'IINUED EXTENSION

Michelangelo, Raphael, Velazquez, and Rembrandt, while the
caryatids represent Sculpture, Architecture, Painting, and
Music.

Editorial comment on this addition was almost universally
favorable. Fhe following words from the New York Evening
Post of December 23, 1902, may stand as contemporaneous
opinion, “The most noteworthy building of its kind in the

MAIN ENTRANCE HALL
EAST WING OF THE MUSEUM

city, one of the finest in the world, and the only public build-
ing of recent years which approaches in dignity and grandeur
the museums of the old world.”

The ceremony of opening this, the most beautiful part of
the Museum building, on December 22, 1902, was extremely
simple. It was formally opened with prayer by the Right
Reverend Bishop of Washington, Henry Y. Satterlee; pre-
sentation of the building to the Trustees by Hon. William R.
Willcox, President of the Department of Parks; the accep-

277

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

tance of it by Frederick W. Rhinelander, who upon the
death of Henry G. Marquand had become President of the
Museum; and an address by Hon. Seth Low, Mayor of the
City.

After Richard Morris Hunt’s death the Municipal Art
Society, of which he was the first president, initiated a move-
ment to erect some suitable memorial to him. In this act of
appreciation the Museum had its due share with the Century
Association, the American Institute of Architects, the Archi-
tectural League, the National Sculpture Society, and other
organizations to which Mr. Hunt belonged. Daniel Chester
French was chosen as sculptor. The place selected for this
memorial was on the west of Fifth Avenue opposite the Lenox
Library, one of the architect’s most distinguished works,
now in process of demolition. Here the memorial was dedi-
cated October 31, 1898, on the anniversary of Mr. Hunt’s
birth

During the six years from 1899 to 1904, the .Museum lost
by death nine of its Trustees, loyal men upon whom the
Museum had depended, whose guidance in some instances
went back even to the foundation of the institution, and
whose services ever since had been arduous and unremitting.
The first of these was Cornelius Vanderbilt, who, though at
the head of a vast railroad system, found time for twenty
years to be an active member of the Board of Trustees and
for twelve years Chairman of the Executive Committee.
His constant, unwearying interest is shown by the fact that
during all that time he never missed a meeting when he was
in New York.

The following year James A. Garland, a prominent banker,
and Hiram Hitchcock, the last of the original members of the
firm that opened the Fifth Avenue Hotel, dropped from the
ranks. Mr. Garland was a patron of art and a connoisseur
of excellent judgment, who for many years devoted himself

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CONTINUED EXTENSION

to gathering a large and valuable collection of ancient Chinese
porcelain. This he had placed on exhibition at the Museum
as a loan six years previous to his death.

After Mr. Garland’s death his executors sold to Duveen
Brothers the Garland Collection, a possession which had given
the Museum distinction among all art museums. The news-
papers gave expression to the prevailing dismay at the loss
to America of so great a treasure. Soon, however, J. Pier-
pont Morgan prevented such a misfortune by purchasing the
collection and continuing to lend it to the Museum. The
Garland Collection has since then been known as the Morgan
Collection, and to it from time to time have been added many
rare pieces of Chinese porcelain.

Mr. Hitchcock’s term of service as a Museum Trustee went
back to 1885, and his unofficial interest much further, for as
an archaeologist and a close friend of General Cesnola’s, he
had helped in effecting the purchase of the Cypriote antiqui-
ties by the Museum. For many years he had acted as Treas-
urer, a conscientious and prudent manager of its funds.
“Though a man of remarkable decision and firmness of char-
acter, he yet possessed such a genial and gentle personality,
so much courtesy, modesty, and charity, that he won the
warm affection of all his associates, who esteemed him
highly for his manly, gracious, and amiable traits, the spirit
of a true Christian gentleman.” Thus did the Trustees refer
to Mr. Hitchcock.

in 1902 the Museum suffered an even greater loss when
three prominent members joined the great majority. Among
these was Henry G. Marquand, the banker and art collector,
New York’s most distinguished patron of art, who had con-
ferred honor on the Museum by becoming its second Presi-
dent in 1889. Perhaps no man in all the list of noble friends
of the Museum was more enthusiastically devoted to its in-
terests; for over thirty years it had been his chief thought

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

and great joy. A natural-born connoisseur, he knew true
art instinctively and it was his delight to collect many rare
treasures.

Salem H. Wales, for some years managing editor of the
Scientific American, another colleague who died in 1902, was
made a Trustee in 1872, and had been actively connected
with the Museum since that time, a period of thirty years,
during which every duty devolving on him was performed
faithfully and zealously. Part of this time he had been Park
Commissioner and President of the Department of Parks,
positions which gave him an opportunity to work for the
Museum interests. At the time of his death he was in the
responsible position of Chairman of the Building Committee.

Heber R. Bishop, another banker and director in many rail-
road companies, the third Trustee to die in 1902, had been
a valued member of the Board of Trustees for nearl)’ twenty
years. He built his own monument in the large collection
of jades which, as elsewhere stated, was presented to the
Museum a few months previous to his death.

1 he following year, 1903, the Trustees were called on to
mourn the loss of one of their stanchest friends and most
devoted associates, William E. Dodge, a merchant of exten-
sive business interests, who also “took a deep interest in all
the prominent movements of his time, and especially in those
of a religious, philanthropic, and educational character, giv-
ing liberally both of his time and means to ever\- object that
had in view the elevation of his fellow-men.” For more than
a quarter of a century he had served continuous!}' as Trustee
and filled the responsible position of Chairman of the Execu-
tive Committee for several years before his death.

Nineteen hundred and four continued the .Museum’s re-
cord of loss, for the devoted Director and two of the original
Trustees, one of whom was the President succeeding .Mr.
.Marquand, died during that year. The old order was in-

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CONTINUED EXTENSION

deed changing, yielding place to new. It is difficult to speak
with sufficient appreciation of the services of such men as
Samuel P. Avery, Frederick W. Rhinelander, and General
Louis Palma di Cesnola.

Mr. Avery’s connection with the Museum continued unin-
terruptedly from its very inception, when he was a member
of the Art Committee of the Union League Club and a secre-
tary of the memorable meeting of November 23, 1869. “ He
brought to the service of the Museum a large experience in
the world of art, a mind enriched by travel and trained by the
observation and study of the world’s famous collections.” A
discriminating collector and a generous giver, he enriched by
his abundant liberality the educational and art institutions
of New York City, for example, the New York Public Library
and Columbia University. Above all, his colleagues, the
Trustees, bear witness that “he was a man of the highest
ideals, who placed character above all other attainments.”

Frederick W, Rhinelander, the third President of the Mu-
seum, had also known the Museum from its infancy. He was
one of the signers of the original charter granted by the Legis-
lature, one of the original subscribers, and continuously a
Trustee. All his powers were enlisted in the service of the
Museum, which became his chief pleasure and duty. He not
only acquainted himself thoroughly with its collections and
its needs, but also became familiar with foreign museums,
that he might be better fitted to further the interests of his
own museum.

Of General Cesnola the Trustees wrote:

“His fidelity, his minute attention to his duties, and his
capacity for work during his long career of service, merit great
praise. Other distinctions and other interests in life, if not
forgotten, were permanently laid aside, and the welfare and
growth of the Museum became his single interest and absorb-
ing occupation. His military training, when joined to his

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THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

public experience, gave him distinguished powers of adminis-
tration; and, while critics are never wanting, his capacity to
administer the Museum and adequately to exhibit its contents
has not been questioned.

“Whoever shall become his successor, and with whatever
gifts he shall be endowed, the martial, independent figure of
General di Cesnola — somewhat restive in opposition and
somewhat impetuous in speech and action, but at all times
devoted to his duty and winning the affection of his sub-
ordinates and associates — will long remain a kindly and
grateful memory.”

The death of General Cesnola meant much more than we at
this distance can easily conceive. The Museum without his
commanding personality must have seemed to his comrades
almost unthinkable. He had known and often personally
supervised each minute detail in every department. It was
then a one man museum to a large extent; the stamp of Gen.
Cesnola’s character was impressed upon the institution. But
it was growing beyond the possibility of one man’s detailed
oversight, even a man of Gen. Cesnola’s capacity for steady
work, and this fact he fully recognized; had he lived longer,
the Museum must have changed its organization. An edito-
rial in the New York Evening Post at the time of the opening
of the East Wing put the matter fairly and frankly, and so
we quote it in conclusion.

“The very spaciousness and dignity of the architectural
setting recall strikingly the fact that the curatorial staff
neither in number nor in expert knowledge would be consid-
ered adequate in a provincial museum of Germany, Trance,
or Italy. That accomplished executive, General di Cesnola,
has on various occasions expressed his desire to add experts
of established reputation to the present staff. The needs of
the collections as they now are demand this imperatively.
Even more will the proper expenditure of the Rogers endow-

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CONTINUED EXTENSION

merit, of which the Museum will soon have complete pos-
session, require the highest kind of connoisseurship and knowl-
edge of the art market. Without offense, it may be said
that the Museum, in a period of remarkable accumulation,
has fallen behind in the matter of scientific handling of its
own exhibits. It should be said, too, that the time has passed
when the individual zeal of such an enthusiast as Mr. Henry
Marquand could control so great an institution. Private in
form, this corporation has had notable subsidies from the
State and City governments, and has always handsomely
recognized its public duties and functions. High among these
duties at the present time is that of granting Director di
Cesnola’s request for a supplementary staff of expert curators.
Only in this way can the friends of art be sure that the
splendid new wing will not only be filled, but filledworthily,”^

‘N. Y. Evening Post, Dec. 23, 1902.

283

CHAPTER VII

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

1 905 — 1912

J. PIERPONT MORGAN

FROM THE PORTRAIT BY CARLOS BACA-FLOR

CHAPTER VII

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

1905 — 1912

The first Step that marked a new period of the Mu-
seum’s activity was the election on November 21,
1904, as fourth president of J. Pierpont Morgan,
who became a patron in 1871, a trustee in 1889, and had
been a generous donor of objects of art since 1897. Mr.
Morgan brought to the service of the Museum an earnest
zeal for its welfare and an intimate acquaintance with the
world of art in all its branches, coupled with every quality
of leadership. His intuitive perception, his quick and
decisive action, joined to his broad knowledge of men and
affairs and his powerful influence, have combined to make
that leadership singularly effective.

Robert W. de Eorest, who had been a trustee since 1889
and a member of various important committees, became
at almost the same time Secretary of the Board of Trustees.
Mr. de Forest’s deep interest in the Museum is both per-
sonal and hereditary, inasmuch as John Taylor Johnston
was his father-in-law. With wide sympathy and knowledge
of men, art, and social conditions, with prompt and sure
initiative in large affairs, with rare skill in their organiza-
tion — recognizing essentials, yet not forgetful of attendant
details — and with a strong and generous guiding hand, Mr.
de Forest as Secretary and, later, as Second Vice President,

289

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

has given of his time and energy unstintingly to the work
of the Trustees in building up the Museum and administer-
ing its affairs.

The vacant directorship was temporarily filled by George
H. Story, Curator of Painting, who was assigned to act in
that capacity until a new Director could be selected.

Before General Cesnola’s death a committee had been ap-
pointed to revise the constitution in a thoroughgoing fashion.
In 1905 the changes recommended by this committee were
made. Generally speaking, they were alterations in wording
suggested for greater exactness or brevity of definition.
Among the important changes in practice were the provisions
that the President, Vice Presidents, and Treasurer should be
elected from among the Trustees instead of from the Life
Members of the Corporation; that Trustees should meet
regularly five times annually, instead of four; that any
person might be elected a Benefactor, Fellow in Per-
petuity, or Fellow for Life who had given books, works of
art, or objects for the collections to the value of the amount
requisite for his admission to that degree, not twice the
amount, as hitherto; that the term Patron should be dropped
and Fellow in Perpetuity retained for that rank of member-
ship; and finally, that an amendment to the Constitution
should be possible by recommendation of a majority of the
Trustees, instead of two-thirds, and by-laws, rules, and regu-
lations might be made by the majority of the Trustees pre-
sent at any meeting.

An early recommendation of the new secretary was that
different classes of contributing membership should be created
to afford an opportunity to those who would gladly give to
the Museum much more than the ten dollars of the annual
member and yet could not easily reach the thousand dollars
of the Fellow for Life; in other words, the Museum should
employ business methods to utilize all available public sup-

290

SIR CASPAR PURDON CLARKE
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH

IHE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

port. Accordingly, two new classes of membership were
created: Sustaining Members, who pay an annual contribu-
tion of $2<j and less than ^loo; and Fellowship Members, who
pay an annual contribution of ^loo or more. By this change
the receipts from membership increased from $22,790 in 1904
to $28,305 in 1905, and $37,355 in 1906, in connection with
systematic efforts to enlarge the membership.

The Trustees felt that the crucial issue for the Museum at
this juncture was the selection of the right man as Director.
Given the right Director, the Museum had a greater oppor-
tunity to gain popular favor and ally itself with all classes of
people than ever before, on the general principle that success
if rightly utilized brings success. In this connection the quali-
fications of the ideal person for the position were defined by
the Trustees as follows:

“The ideal director should combine
“ (a) Executive ability.

“(b) Courtesy, and those qualities of the gentleman and
man of the world which will enable him to put the .Museum
in a relation of respect and sympathy with the different
classes of the community he meets in its interest.

“ (c) Expert knowledge of art, if not in all departments, at
least with such breadth of view as to make him sympathize
with all departments.

“(d) Museum experience. . . . Executive capacity and

gentlemanly qualities are essential. Museum experience can
be acquired and comparatively limited knowledge of art on
the part of the director can be supplemented b}' such knowl-
edge in the curators of different departments under him.”

These four requisites were combined to an unusual degree
in Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke, who resigned the Art Direc-
torship of the Victoria and Albert Museum to assume the
duties of Director of The Metropolitan Museum of .Art, to
which he was elected on January 21, 1905. His marked

292

IHE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

executive ability was attested by his long and successful
career in various branches of the government service.
His museum experience in Europe and the Far East was of
about thirty-five years’ duration, a period of manifold duties
well performed, and crowned by his appointment as director
of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, familiarly
known as the South Kensington Museum. His expert knowl-
edge of art was evidenced by his training at the National Art
Training Schools, by the important commissions with which
he had been intrusted both as an architect and as a museum
purchasing agent, and by his recognized place as an author
and lecturer on subjects connected with art and archaeology.
More than all else, his personality was so genial, his sympathy
and kindliness of disposition so unfailing, his interest in others
so infectious that he was unusually equipped to win friends
for the Museum and extend a gracious hospitality to all
classes of people. In October, 1905, Sir Caspar Purdon
Clarke took up his duties, and the following month, on
November 15th, was tendered a reception at the Museum
when more than 8,000 people from all classes of New York
society welcomed the new director.

Another appointment was made in December, 1905, when
Edward Robinson, formerly Director of the Museum of Fine
Arts of Boston, Mass., was elected Assistant Director, a
newly created position of which he was the first incumbent.
From the report of the committee, the following statement
in regard to Mr. Robinson is copied:

’‘This recommendation is made after full conference with
our Director, with his entire concurrence and, indeed, at his
desire.

“ Mr. Robinson is personally known to most of our Trustees
and is widely known in Museum and academic circles both at
home and abroad. He was graduated from Harvard Univer-
sity in 1879, studied for five years abroad, in Germany,

293

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

Greece, and elsewhere, was Curator of Classical Antiques in
the Boston Museum of Fine Arts from 1885 to 1902, and
has been Director of that Museum until his resignation
was accepted on December 9. He was also lecturer on
Classical Archaeology at Harvard University for many
years. He is a member of many art and archaeological
societies. He received the degree of LL.D. from Aberdeen
University, Scotland, in April last. He tendered his
resignation as Director of the Boston Museum some four
months ago, for reasons satisfactory to himself and his
friends, and which do not affect in any degree his qualifica-
tions for official position in our Museum.”

The work of organization of an enlarged staff continued as
opportunity afforded to obtain men and women of the right
calibre. The aim throughout was to add to the staff trained
experts, each of whom should be assigned to a particular de-
partment according to his special training. Quoting again
from the Secretary’s statement of policy," They (the curators)
should each be an expert in his particular department, cap-
able not only of arranging and scientifically cataloguing the
collections under them, but of acting as expert advisers in
purchasing. They should also, as far as possible, have exec-
utive ability, courtesy, and relations to other scientific men,
but their prime requisite should be knowledge of their partic-
ular departments. Sooner or later the Museum, as respects
departments, should be systematically reorganized, and a
competent curator placed at the head of each separate de-
partment.”

The keynote of the present era in the history of The
.Metropolitan Museum of Art, as in that of museums gen-
erally, is' educational efficiency. As has been said, “It has
become well recognized in recent years that the undertaking
of a museum does not cease with the collection and exhibition
of works of art. It has to make them intelligible and attrac-

294

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

live to the public.” With this trend President, Secretary,
and Director of The Metropolitan Museum were in heartiest
accord and for the realization of this aim steps were almost
immediately taken.

Under the general head of educational work may be grouped
the rearrangement of the collections in a more logical and
instructive way, the holding of frequent temporary loan exhi-
bitions, the publication of the Museum Bulletin, the opening
of a room for recent accessions, the issuing of catalogues, the
sale of photographs, the increased facilities offered to students
of art, copyists, and artists, to sketch from or copy objects
in the Museum collection, the better accommodation and
greater use of the Library, and most important perhaps, the
relation of cooperation with the public and private schools
of greater New York.

The rearrangement of the objects for greater educational
value has been progressing steadily. At last the Museum
found itself in a position to build up its collections according
to a comprehensive scientific plan. Earlier the officers could
afford neither to alienate the friends of the Museum by declin-
ing gifts that were sometimes scarcely worthy to be exhibited,
nor to purchase objects of real excellence to fill in the gaps
in the collection. The aim in the increase and rearrangement
of the collections was stated by the Trustees to be “not
merely to assemble beautiful objects and display them har-
moniously, still less to amass a collection of unrelated curios,
but to group together the masterpieces of different
countries and times in such relation and sequence as to
illustrate the history of art in the broadest sense, to make
plain its teaching, and to inspire and direct its
national development.” They pledged themselves not to
“forget that the original purpose of the Museum, as
set forth in its charter, was largely educational and was
not merely that of ‘establishing’ a great collection of art

295

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

objects, but ‘of encouraging and developing the
study of the fine arts and the application of arts to manufac-
tures and practical life and of advancing the general knowl-
edge of kindred subjects.’” It would be impracticable at
least, if not impossible, to record the entire development of
the Museum in carrying out this aim. The new Egyptian
galleries may stand as a striking illustration of the accom-
plishment of only a few } ears. “ Less than five years ago that
entire collection was contained in the corridor at the right
of the main staircase. It included objects, many of them
important, which had been acquired principally through
chance, by gifts and otherwise, and which were largely un-
related to one another, representing but a few periods in the
long course of Egyptian civilization. Today it fills more
than comfortably ten galleries, arranged in historical se-
quence, so that the visitor who passes from one to another,
following the order in which they are numbered, can trace the
whole history of Egyptian art from its crude beginnings in
predynastic times to its last expressions in the Coptic period.
In other words, he will cover a span of some 4,500 years, from
about 4000 B. C. to the seventh century A. D., and this
almost exclusively with original material, the few repro-
ductions which are included having been added mainly for
purposes of illustration.”^

f he policy of holding frequent loan exhibitions, which ma\'
justly be considered a return to the plan of the first Trustees,
has been definitely adopted in recent years and carried out as
a recognized part of the Museum program since 1908. “It is
the intention of the Trustees,” according to an announce-
ment made through the Bulletin, “to confine each of these
exhibitions to one subject, in a comparativeh' narrow field,
but to have them ultimately cover the entire range of art
which is represented in the collections of the .Museum,
‘ Bulletin, Vol. VI, p. 203.

296

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

Strengthening these for the time by examples borrowed from
other collections, chiefly those of private owners, which are
not usually accessible to the public.” They “look forward
to a great increase in the educational work which the Museum
will be enabled to perform . . . both by stimulating a

genera! interest in the various forms of art, or the works of
individual artists, which will thus be displayed, and by offer-
ing to the public an exceptionally high standard for the cul-
tivation of its taste or knowledge of the arts that will be
included.”^ The special fields of art already touched by these
short exhibitions include paintings, Dutch and American,
sculpture, arms and armor, rugs, silver, glass, ceramics, and
furniture. Their educational value has been enhanced by
the careful preparation of catalogues, text-books as it were,
for each exhibition, both text and illustrations furnishing a
permanent record of a temporary exhibit. The generous co-
operation in these exhibitions of hundreds of lenders furnishes
a pleasing illustration of the way in which American collectors
interpret the privileges of possession.

Although the story of these recent exhibitions is familiar
to the friends of the Museum, a brief summary should be
inserted here for the sake of record. The first, a memorial
exhibition of the works of the late Augustus Saint-Gaudens,
was arranged with the active assistance of Mrs. Saint-
Gaudens and Homer Saint-Gaudens, and through the enthu-
siastic labors of a distinguished committee, of which Daniel
Chester French was Chairman and Frederick S. Wait, Treas-
urer. This exhibition was held in the large central hall of the
Fifth Avenue Wing from March 2, 1908, to May 3 1 , 1908. 1 ts
one hundred and fifty-four objects included practically all of
the achievements of “our foremost sculptor.” Where the orig-
inals could not be secured because of their character, plaster
casts or photographs represented the work of the master.

‘ Bulletin, Vol. V, p. 168.

297

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

The year 1909 was memorable for its loan exhibitions.
Fortunate circumstances combined with skilful planning and
forceful administration account for the unusual success of the
year. From January 4th to February 22d, in the galleries
of the new north wing, then first used, was held a unique ex-
hibition of German paintings and sculpture on the initiative
of a public-spirited citizen of New York, Hugo Reisinger.
The Consul General of the German Empire, Mr. Buenz,
with the special sanction of the German Emperor, asked for
space in our galleries for an exhibition that should represent
the best contemporary German art, the expense to be borne
by the friends of that art who desired to secure for it wider
recognition and greater appreciation. Over two hundred
works, selected by competent German authorities, were
exhibited.

On September 20th of the same year, a loan exhibition
was held in connection with the Hudson-Eulton Celebration.
It was assembled under the direction of the Sub-committee
on Art Exhibits of the Hudson-Eulton Commission, of
which Robert W. deForest was Chairman, and Sir Caspar
Purdon Clarke, Edward Robinson, George A. Hearn, and
George F. Kunz were members, j. Pierpont Morgan was
Chairman of the general committee of which this was a sub-
committee. The work of collection and arrangement fell
upon the staff of the Museum. The exhibit was divided
into two distinct parts — a section of Dutch paintings, num-
bering 143 works, including 37 pictures by Rembrandt, 21
by Frans Hals, and 6 by Vermeer, and an American sec-
tion devoted to early paintings and industrial arts. These
two sections represented as nearly as possible the period of
Hudson and the period of Fulton. Both sections consti-
tuted the most notable loan collections within their re-
spective spheres ever brought together in America. The
appreciation which this exhibition w'on from the public was

298'

THE PRESIDENCY OF J, PIERPONT MORGAN

evident from the record of attendance, which included over
300,000 visitors. An illustrated catalogue de luxe of the
Dutch paintings was subsequently published and affords
a permanent record of this memorable collection.

In the first exhibition of 1910, the Whistler Exhibition,
held from March 15th to May 31st, the aim was not merely
to gather an excellent showing of the works of this original
artist, an aim which was accomplished, as the collection
included forty-six pictures in oil and pastel, but also to ex-
hibit these works in Whistler’s own way, following in every
minute detail of arrangement and setting the noteworthy
example furnished by the artist himself. This attempt gained
the approval of Whistler’s executrix. Miss Rosalind Birnie-
Philip.

Rare early Oriental rugs were collected for the next exhib-
it, held from November 1, 1910, to January 15, 1911, which
attracted wide interest.

The record of 19 1 1 includes four exhibitions, the largest
number in any one year. Simultaneously from February 6th
to March 19th were held a memorial exhibition of the works
of the late Winslow Homer and an exhibition of European
arms and armor, the first of its kind in America. The latter
was continued for ten weeks, until April i6th. Simultane-
ously again and in the same exhibition hall were exhibited
from November 6th to December 3 1st, a group of American
colonial portraits by Smibert, Copley, Blackburn, and others,
and a collection of early ecclesiastical silver used in New
York, New Jersey, and the South, of English, Swedish,
Dutch, and American workmanship, and of domestic
plate made by early New York silversmiths. The silver
was collected and lent to the Museum through the efforts
of the Society of Colonial Dames of the State of New York.

The frequent visitor who aims to have a systematic knowl-
edge of the Museum collections deserves the utmost consider-

299

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

atiun. Two special methods to facilitate such sightseeing,
adopted more or less experimentally, have been continued as
regular parts of the Museum program, hhe first was the
publication of a Museum Bulletin started as a quarterly in
November, 1905, but soon changed to a monthly record of
Museum news. Its object has been to furnish a ready
means of communication between the officers and staff of
The Metropolitan Museum of Art on the one hand and the
members and friends of the Museum on the other; in other
words, it is a peripatetic “information bureau” which aims
to impart knowledge simply and attractively and so to en-
courage visits to the Museum and make them more helpful.
It contains a complete list of all accessions with sufficient
indication where each may be found and a more or less ex-
tended description, generally with illustrations, of the more
important objects, whether gifts or purchases. It announces
any change in arrangement or rules. It gives full informa-
tion on all subjects connected with the Museum. No longer
is its usefulness a matter for question; its place is estab-
lished. With a subscription list of about 550, exclusive
of the membership, and a large sale at the catalogue
desks, it is an agent by no means insignificant in spreading
a knowledge of art.

fhe second device was the use of a special room to exhibit
together the accessions of the month in all departments.
Later they must be scattered in various parts of the building
in order to secure a scientific arrangement. Their grouping
for a month, however, aids the visitor who wishes to see the
new collections quickly and easily. This plan, inaugurated
in 1906, having been found to fill a need, has been kept
up ever since. Objects that by their minuteness and value
will find their permanent home in the Gold Room cannot
be placed in the Room of Recent Accessions; objects that by
their size require a great deal of space must of necessity be

300

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

placed elsewhere. With such exceptions new accessions
have been so displayed.

One of the duties of the curators, as stated in the by-laws,
is to “prepare guides and handbooks of the objects exhibited
in their respective departments.” This work has been taken
up more seriously and systematically during the last few
years than ever before, although even during the very early
years of the Museum the Trustees recognized the educational
value of catalogues and did their utmost to explain the col-
lections committed to their care. With the systematic re-
labeling of the exhibits, however, there naturally followed
the compiling of new catalogues for correctness and complete-
ness of statement. By no means all of the collections are
represented in the handbooks as yet published, but several
other handbooks are in course of preparation. The ideal
sought but not yet attained is such an array of published helps
that any visitor who wishes to study any part of the collection
shall find printed material at hand.

Of like purpose, to supply the public with facilities for a
knowledge of the Museum collections, were the organiza-
tion of the Photograph Department and the establishment
of an Information Desk at the Fifth Avenue entrance.
Previous to 1906 the suppl\' of photographic prints obtain-
able at the Museum was limited to a comparatively small
number printed by Pach Brothers. Since then the Museum
has organized its own photographic department, in which
all accessions to the Museum as received are systematically
photographed for purposes of identification and cataloguing,
and where photographs are made of all important objects
in the Museum collections, ranging in size from the familiar
postal card which sells for five cents to larger sizes suitable
for framing. The number of negatives at present is over
25,000. Moreover, opportunity has been freely given to
important publishers of art photographs, at home and

301

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

abroad, to photograph the pictures and other objects of art
and to place their photographs on sale at the Museum.
Every visitor to the Museum is now able to obtain not only
the Museum’s own photographs, but photographs published
by Braun, Clement & Co. of Paris, Pach Brothers, the
Detroit Publishing Company, the Elson Company, and
others. The Information Desk is not only the salesroom for
the photographs and catalogues, but also the reception room,
as it were, at the very threshold of the Museum where a
welcome is extended and help offered in answering the many
and varied questions of visitors to the Museum.

Somewhat earlier than these innovations came certain
changes in the rules for sketching and copying which granted
increased privileges to the student of art. By the new regu-
lations copying is permitted every day except Saturday, Sun-
day, and legal holidays, instead of only on the two pay da) s,
as hitherto. Under the former rules or practice of the
Museum, sketching or making notes of the objects of the
collections had been absolutely forbidden and the collections
had thereby lost much of their value to the earnest student
or ambitious artisan. This policy was reversed and since
1905 permission has been freely granted to use in this way
any exhibits except those objects which have been copy-
righted and those which are lent. Eor these permission is
granted upon presentation of the owner’s consent in writing.
Even the use of hand cameras is permitted on the same
terms. For all kinds of copying requiring the use of an
easel or modeling stand, permission must be obtained. In
191 1 there were 1,103 permits issued. Copies may be made
in any size required, a concession some museums do not
grant. Thus the opportunity to copy has been extended
just as far as is consistent with the preservation of order,
the observance of copyright laws, and the just treatment of
lenders.

302

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

The Museum Library, another educational agency in the
Museum, entered upon a new epoch when by the conditions
of the Rogers Bequest a part of the income from the Rogers
Fund was to be expended for books for the Library. This
bequest, therefore, not only afforded opportunity for the
creation of an excellent library of art, but made this task

WING G
THE LIBRARY

almost imperative. Under such conditions it became wise
to state clearly the scope and policy of the Library. The
Library Committee in a report presented early in igo6 gave
as its opinion, “The Museum Library should be a storehouse
of information upon any subject illustrated by the Museum
collections — irrespective of the fact that the same or similar
books are to be found upon the shelves of other City Libraries
— in order that the necessary sources of information may be

303

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

open and easy of access to the Directors and Curators of
the Museum and also to all of its visitors who are students
and not simply sightseers. . . . The acquisition of fine

and rare books would appear to be within the province of a
Library of Art. Monuments of early printing, illuminated
manuscripts, and book bindings from the hands of renowned
bibliopegists of former times are as much works of art . .

as paintings on canvas or sculptures in stone, and as full of
the inspiration that flows only from original works of art.”

The Library, which had been deposited at first in "a small,
dark, damp room in the basement of the first building erected
by the city for the Museum in Central Park,” had been
assigned in 1888 to a room on the second story of the South
Wing, which was completed in that year. There it had shelf-
room for ten thousand volumes and reading tables to accom-
modate perhaps a dozen readers. This became ver}' much
crowded as the collection of books increased and the Library
overflowed into the adjoining Board Room. In 1910 the
Library entered its third home, an annex on the south side
of the building built especially for its accommodation and
correspondingly commodious. Here a room was provided
for the study collection of photographs, which in 1910
numbered upward of 28,000 and on January i, 1912, had
reached a total of 33,423, covering ancient and modern
art, both fine and industrial.

At the very threshold of this period, in January, 1905, the
Executive Committee adopted a resolution that marked a
definite advance, as it was the first statement found in the
minutes of the sympathetic attitude of the Museum toward
the public school teachers and scholars. It reads:

“Whereas: The Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum
of Art desire to extend the educational opportunities of the
Museum so far as practicable to tne teachers and scholars
of the public schools of the City.

304

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

“Resolved: That the Board of Education be notified of
the willingness of the Trustees to issue on application to any
teacher in the public schools, under such regulations as the
Board of Education may prescribe, a ticket entitling such
teacher to free admittance to the Museum at all times when
the Museum is open to the public, including pay days, either
alone or accompanied by not more than six public school
scholars for whose conduct such teacher will be willing to be-
come responsible.”

By this resolution the door to the Museum was thrown
open to the teachers of the public schools; they had but to
come and avail themselves of the hospitality of the Museum.
The Board of Education through its President, Henry
N. Tifft, sent notification of this action to all teachers in the
public schools, with the result that 1,093 applications for
teachers’ tickets were received during 1905.

Two years later another forward step was taken when the
place of Supervisor of Museum Instruction was created, and
the Assistant Secretary, Henry W. Kent, was appointed
to perform the duties of this new position. By his
interest in this phase of Museum activity and his exper-
ience in similar work, he was exceptionally qualified to
take the initiative in such endeavor. The object in view
was active cooperation with the teachers, and furnishing
practical help in making the Museum an important ally
in the teaching of art, history, and literature as taken up
in the curriculum of the public schools. The Annual Report
of 1907 announced, “ Special written information will be given
at any time to teachers who will designate in advance the
work which they wish to illustrate. A class room with seat-
ing capacity of about one hundred and fifty to two hundred
and containing apparatus for stereopticon exhibition, has
been set aside for the use of teachers with pupils and may be
secured at any time during Museum hours, notice being

305

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

given in advance in order to prevent conflicting visits. When
the visits of teachers or pupils fall on ‘pay days,’ provision
is made for their admission without charge. Photographs
and lantern slides from the collections of the .Museum are
sent to the class room when desired, and assistance in selecting
those which will be of use in the ground to be covered by the
teacher’s lecture is gladly given. Direct intercourse between
the Museum and the teachers is had from time to time, and
lectures on special subjects are being given by members of
the Museum staff. . . .

“The Museum holds itself ready at all times to confer with
teachers and to assist as far as it may in their work, and it is
hoped that in the future they will find it possible to take more
advantage of the benefits which the institution can give than
the demands of the school system have seemed to permit in
the past.”

In other words, by the appointment of a Supervisor of
Museum Instruction and the equipping of a class-room for
the use of teachers, the Museum had not merely extended
a cordial invitation to teachers, but had made definite pre-
parations for accommodating its guests. The teachers and
scholars came in increasing numbers. In 1907 the number
of teachers with classes attending the Museum was 2,224;
in 1908, the number rose to 5,627.

Still further material to render the Museum useful to
teachers and scholars has now been prepared. Since 1907
the Museum has been acquiring by gift or purchase a col-
lection of lantern slides numbering 10,763, which is kept at
the Information Desk. These are not confined to objects
in the Museum, but have been chosen to illustrate the various
subjects represented in the Museum collections. They are
used both for lectures in the Museum and elsewhere; in
fact, they are frequently sent a hundred miles or more from
New York City. For use in free lectures, there is no fee; for

306

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

private purposes, a charge of one cent per slide is made with
a minimum charge of fifty cents. This enables any teacher
of art to illustrate his lectures without cost or with a nominal
payment, according to the circumstances.

The third step was taken by the Museum in 1908 by the
appointment of a Museum Instructor, whose whole time
should be occupied with guiding classes and individuals to
the objects they wished to see in connection with school work
or for personal pleasure. This innovation was tried on the
general principle that a person is a more inspiring guide than
a book or a label. Not only had the Museum prepared
a room; it had also secured a hostess to greet and entertain
its guests. To quote again, “The pleasantest form of
introduction to objects of art is undoubtedly the com-
panionship of someone who knows them and who leads us
to them and instils into us by words and behavior his
familiarity and love for them. Visits to museums with such
people are engraved on our memories and affect our
whole future experience. Encouragement by the explana-
tion of a simple point, the answering, maybe, of a trivial
question, the direction of a tendency, the correction of an
error, the interpretation of a meaning, a convention, a techni-
cal process, the unveiling of some evasive but significant
beauty, the mere charm of intercourse with a well-informed
man who has feeling, may fill moments of enthrallment.” By
the appointment of a Museum Instructor, the opportunity
of seeing the Museum collections under expert guidance was
open to everyone. Members, teachers, and pupils of the
public schools receive this assistance free; all others pay a
nominal charge of twenty-five cents per person, with a mini-
mum of one dollar per hour. Over four thousand persons
during 191 1 were thus aided to appreciate the collections, of
whom thirty-seven hundred were teachers and classes. This
result is more encouraging because it is an evidence of real.

307

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

spontaneous interest, inasmuch as the Board of Education
does not require art museum visiting as a part of the school
curriculum, as is the case in the science museums.

The most recent development of the situation has been the
appointment by the Superintendent of Education of Dr.
James P. Haney, Supervisor of Art in the High Schools, to
investigate the feasibility of cooperation with the Museum,
following the lines of the Museum’s approval in this matter
during the last few years, and then to recommend a scheme
to show the utility and effect of such cooperation from the
point of view of the schools. That is, the school authorities
have nov/ taken official action looking toward the possibility
of closer cooperation with the Museum in the future.

With the opening of the Lecture Room in the fall of 19 1 1
an opportunity was given for a course of lectures specially
designed to help the High School teachers to use the Museum
collections with and for their pupils intelligently and success-
fully. Such a series of talks was conducted during the spring
of 1912 as follows; Museums and Teachers of History, by
President G. Stanley Hall, of Clark University; .Museums and
Teachers of Art, by Kenyon Cox; Museums and Teachers of
English, by Professor Stockton Axson, of Princeton Univer-
sity; and Museums and Teachers of the Classics, by Professor
Oliver S. Tonks, of Vassar College.

The goal toward which the .Museum has been working in
all these progressive steps, and toward which it will continue
to work, is to secure a recognized place in the curriculum of
the schools for visits to the Museum, that they may be
planned for regularly in the assignment of time with the other
studies. Then only will the work be on a permanent basis,
no longer dependent on the enthusiasm of the teacher or the
interest of the supervisor, but continuing by right and neces-
sity, not by favor or option.

Of the unequal struggle between the capacity of the build-

308

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

ing and the growth of the collections, in which the Trustees
have been engaged even from 1872, the last few years furnish
the best illustration. The construction of a building is
necessarily slow, while the increase in the exhibits has come
by unexpected leaps and bounds. Although four extensions
for public use, the so-called Wings E, F, G, and H, have been
added during this last period, at notime has the Museum been

WING E

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

able to exhibit all its collections. Such problems, however,
are but the price of success, and incident to unusual develop-
ment.

For all these new wings McKim, Mead, and White have
been appointed architects. The first, adjoining the first
Fifth Avenue Wing on the north, was authorized at a cost
not exceeding ^1,250,000 by a law passed March 23, 1904.^
The others came under the provisions of a law passed June 17,
1907,^ enabling the Department of Parks to appropriate a
sum not exceeding $750,000 annually for not more than ten
years for extensions and repairs.

‘Charter, Constitution, By-laws, Lease, Laws, 1910, p. 60.

'“Charter, Constitution, By-laws, Lease, Laws, 1910, p. 63.

309

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

The second story of Wing E was used for the first time in
January, 1909, at the exhibition of contemporary German art
and again utilized for the Hudson-Fulton Exhibition of the
same year. The first story was devoted to the installation
of the greatly enlarged Egyptian collection.

Long before the completion of this wing, however, a delight-
ful necessity for still another wing had arisen, tor J. Pierpont
Morgan had generously offered to place in the Museum the
entire Georges Hoentschel Collection of objects of French
decorative art of the Gothic period and of the eighteenth
century, the former as a loan, the latter as a gift. Georges
Hoentschel, a distinguished architect of Paris, whose special
branch is the restoration or construction of interiors of these
two periods, gathered together for his own use and pleasure
examples of untold value to the architect, the designer, and
the craftsman. The receipt of his collection, unequaled b\’
that of any other private collector, and in its eighteenth
century section surely unmatchea by any public museum,
provided a large and valuable nucleus for a collection of
European decorative arts and occasioned both the formation
of a Department of Decorative Arts and the building of a
Wing of Decorative Arts, technically called Wing F.

“This is the first part of our Museum building which has
ever been planned with a definite knowledge of, and with a
direct reference to, the collections it was to contain, and it is
an object lesson of the incalculable advantage of having such
knowledge in advance whenever circumstances make it pos-
sible.”^ Mr. Me Kim went to Paris, saw the Hoentschel
Collection as it was installed in M. Hoentschel’s private
gallery, and studied the arrangement of the Musee des arts
decoratifs of the Louvre, from which the mere suggestion of
a plan was gained. The building, briefly described, consists
of a large central hall, sixty-seven feet high, lighted by a

‘ E. R. in Supplement to Bulletin, March, 1910, p. 5.

310

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

clerestory and surrounded by two stories of smaller galleries
lighted from one side only.

March 14, 1910, was the date of the opening of this wing.
Not only were European decorative arts admirably repre-

MAIN HALL

THE WING OF DECORATIVE ARTS

BBWSS8B5TOOB5R

m?«;]

sented, but American art as well made an exceptional show-
ing through the welcome gift made by Mrs. Russell Sage of
the whole of the Bolles Collection of American furniture and
decorative arts. This important collection was gathered by
H. Eugene Bolles, a Boston lawyer, during twenty-five years,
at a time when the value of our native art was scarcel}- appre-

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

ciated at all and when consequently the collector had an ex-
ceptional opportunity, which Mr. Bolles utilized most in-
telligently and painstakingly. The collection includes the
decorative arts from the time of the earliest settlements in
New England to the first quarter of the nineteenth century.

By the side of such unusual gifts as those of Mr. .Morgan
and Mrs. Sage should stand the presentation in 1910 of the
Murch Collection of Egyptian Antiquities by Miss Helen
Miller Gould. This collection, brought together by the late
Dr. Chauncey Murch during a twenty-years’ residence in
Euxor, Egypt, while he was directing the work of the
American Presbyterian Mission, is rich in seal cylinders,
scarabs, and amulets.

The collection of laces and textiles as it now exists may
fitly be termed a product of recent years. In 1906 the laces
numbered about seven hundred pieces, acquired principally
through the purchase in 1879 of the MacCallum Collection,
and the gift in 1888 of the laces of the late Mrs. John Jacob
Astor by Mr. Astor pursuant to her wishes. These
laces, beautiful in themselves, needed classification and ar-
rangement to enhance their value, work which was success-
fully accomplished in the spring of 1906 under the direction
of Erau Kubasek of Vienna, who had performed similar work
on several large collections of Europe and America. The
classification used was enlarged by Miss Margaret Taylor
Johnston from one prepared by Miss Catherine A. Newbold
for the Loan Collection of Laces at the World's Lair in
Chicago. The enthusiastic interest and untiring industry of
Miss Newbold, Miss Johnston, Mrs. Robert W. de Eorest,
and .Miss Mary Parsons soon began to bear fruit in the gifts
from many donors of rare examples of the lacemaker’s art.
So extensive have been the additions that the collection now
numbers over three thousand pieces and easily bears com-
parison with any European collection. Three large collec-

312

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERFONT MORGAN

tions of lace have been received in one way or another: the
Nuttall Collection, which numbers nine hundred and eighty-
four pieces and represents some thirty-two countries, was
presented by Mrs. Magdalena Nuttall of Tunbridge Wells,
England; the Blackborne Collection, gathered by Thomas
Blackborne from about 1850, and augmented by his son
Arthur Blackborne, a collection of international reputa-
tion, comprising over six hundred examples and including
all periods of lace manufacture, was purchased for the
Museum by sixty-two ladies and gentlemen; and the Selig-
man Collection, consisting of ninety-five pieces of rare seven-
teenth and eighteenth century lace, was bequeathed by Mrs.
Henrietta Seligman.

The collection of textiles, which had been growing steadily,
leaped in 1909 by a fortunate purchase to a comprehensive-
ness equal to that of the laces. This acquisition was the
collection of the late Friedrich Fischbach of Wiesbaden,
numbering nearly three thousand examples of European
weaves and Coptic and Persian textiles, a collection which
offers a rare opportunity for students of the arts and crafts.
For their use a study-room of textiles has been equipped,
and many of the interesting examples not on exhibition may
there be examined.

The Department of Egyptian Art was organized in 1906 in
recognition of the fact that the years of productiveness in
Egyptian excavation were fast nearing an end and conse-
quently the Museum must enter the field actively if it were
to secure a satisfactory share of the rich yield of Egyptian
antiquities. Private liberality enabled the Museum to take
advantage of the opportunity. The Museum obtained from
the Egyptian authorities concessions to excavate at three
sites, “representing three important periods of Egyptian art,
— the pyramid field of Lisht, about thirty miles south of
Cairo, the Oasis of Kharga, situated in the Libyan Desert,

3'3

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

about one hundred miles west of the Nile, and the palace of
Amenhotep 1 1 1 at Thebes.” At no one of these sites have the
excavations been completed, but so rich have been the finds
so far, that in November, 191 1, in the new Egyptian galleries,
ten in number, there was installed a rarely interesting col-
lection of antiquities made up of the earlier collection re-
arranged, the objects obtained by excavation, and the gifts
and loans of interested friends. Excavations are still being
carried on with gratifying results.

Erom Egypt before Christ to America in the twentieth
century is, indeed, a long stride, but the authorities of an Art
Museum, if they live up to their opportunities, must be as
alert for a good representation of the art of the latter period
as for that of the former. The endeavor to give American
art an adequate showing in this Museum has been ably
reenforced by the generosity of George A. Hearn, of whose
“endowment, so to speak, of contemporary American paint-
ing” some appreciation should here be given. In money
alone, his noteworthy munificence has now reached the large
amount of $25 i ,000, the income of which is to be used for the
purchase of paintings by living Americans; in paintings
his gifts number seventy-five, including some works of
various European schools. Two galleries are entirely filled
with pictures which he has presented, and a third con-
tains a large number of paintings of which he was the
donor, besides several that he has lent. Since 1906
twenty-six pictures have been purchased from the Hearn
Funds. By so fortunate an arrangement the collection
of American paintings has grown far beyond its possible
increase without such abundant aid.

Friends of the Museum have not been wanting in these
last years, as the preceding record shows. Further evidence
of this fact is furnished by the generous legacies received, of
which we can refer only to the most conspicuous, three in

314

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

number. Frederick C. Hewitt of Owego, New York, a man
of singularly unpretentious life who would not so much as
become an annual member of the Museum during his life-
time, at his death in August, 1908, made the Museum his
residuary legatee as well as a specific legatee to the extent of
^500,000. From his estate the Museum has received more
than ^1,500,000. Though not a New Yorker, and not per-

WING H

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

sonally acquainted with the Trustees of the Museum, he
reposed sufficient confidence in their integrity and good
judgment to make this large gift to the Museum.

The second bequest, on the contrary, came from the
Second Vice-President of the Museum, John Stewart Ken-
nedy, who was but giving a continuity and permanence to
long years of conscientious service for the Museum by be-
queathing to it three sixty-fourths of his residuary estate,
from which over $2,000,000 has already been realized. To
understand the spirit of this princely giver, we may read
the preface to his will, in which he states, “Having been
greatly prospered in the business which 1 carried on for more
than thirty years in this my adopted country and being
desirous of leaving some expression of my sympathy with its

315

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

religious, charitable, benevolent, and educational institu-
tions, I give and bequeath . . . the following legacies.”

In other words, his legacies, as well as his gifts during his
lifetime, were prompted by a high sense of duty and a
breadth of interest which included not only his adopted
country, but his native Scotland and the Far East. Like
Mr. Hewitt, he was singularly unostentatious; few knew the
extent of his gifts while he lived, and to many his large
bequests came as a surprise.

Darius Ogden Mills, another Trustee, bequeathed to the
Museum the sum of $100,000, which has since been used
as a memorial fund for the purchase of works of art.

With these legacies should be grouped a most unexpected
and gratifying gift received on Februar\’ 19, 1912, from
Francis L. Leland. This consisted of twelve hundred shares
of the New York County National Bank, of which Mr.
Leland is President. These shares represent a well-invested
fund of over a million dollars, and so the gift is b\- far the
largest in money ever made to the .Museum by a person dur-
ing his lifetime.

It is but fitting that in these last pages we turn aside from
the material prosperity, the hum of building operations, the
stir of installing new treasures, the busy days of loan
exhibitions, even the gratifying use of large gifts
and legacies, to live again with some who have
joined the great majority. Although in 1912 the records
show a membership of 3,151 as against 3.056 in 1907, some
lo_\’al friends of the Museum are no longer numbered
in the total. Nine Trustees have left places hard to
fill, six of them having died within a single twelve-
month. Rutherfurd Stu\'vesant, last but one of the Founders
of the Museum, a direct descendant of Governor Peter Stu\ -
vesant, had for nearly forty years retained the greatest inter-
est in and strongest attachment to the .Museum even

316

EDWARD ROBINSON

FROM THE PAINTING BY JOHN SINGER SARGENT

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

when his life abroad prevented his active participa-
tion in its councils. One of the first collectors of arms and
armor in this country, he was able by his trained connois-
seurship to further the interests of the Museum in obtaining
excellent examples of the armorer’s work; especially was he
instrumental in the acquisition of the Ellis and Dino Collec-
tions. John Crosby Brown, the faithful Treasurer of the
Museum, who was for fourteen consecutive years a Trustee,
was a man of “large religious, educational, and philanthropic
interest,” an elder in the Madison Square Presbyterian
Church, a trustee of Columbia University, and President of
the Union Theological Seminary, one of those men “who
sweeten and enrich the life of a city,’’ who make “integrity
beautiful and righteousness contagious.’’ Charles Pollen
McKim, the architect, whose services to education and the
public taste in such buildings as the Boston Public Librar\-,
the Library of Columbia Universit\', and .Mr. .Morgan’s
Library, are a public heritage, left among his fellow-trustees
a memory of personal charm. John Stewart Kennedy, a \’ice-
President of the Museum, to whose generous legacy reference
has already been made, gave to the .Museum over twenty
years of active, forceful attention as a Trustee, and came into
a place of warm, personal friendship with his comrades on the
Board. William .Mackay Laffan, editor, scholar, and lover of
the beautiful, was so bountifully endowed by nature that the
Museum is infinitely richer for his five years’ trusteeship.
Charles Stewart Smith had borne the burden and heat of the
day for twenty years, in particular serving most efficiently
on the Building Committee, safeguarding the interests both
of the City and of the Museum, and promoting a helpful
relationship between the two. Darius Ogden .Mills was
indeed an old and tried friend of the .Museum, a Trustee
for twenty-eight years and first vice-president for four years,
whose bequest was but another expression of his vital inter-

318

THE PRESIDENCY OF J. PIERPONT MORGAN

est in all the varied activities of the Museum. His fellow-
trustees, in a resolution that varies greatly from the
stereotyped form, say of him: “His personal character
was uniquely pure and noble, and he was a rare instance
in America of a man of immense wealth and great enter-
prises constantly increasing his vast possessions upon
whom no breath of malicious suspicion or criticism ever
rested.” John Bigelow belonged to the City and to the
whole country as “our foremost citizen;” he belonged, also,
to the Museum as a valued counsellor, though the infirmities
of years had recently prevented his active participation in its
affairs. “A great citizen of spotless character known of all
men,” he adorned every organization with which he was con-
nected. Francis Davis Millet, the one artist in this list,
had endeared himself greatly to his comrades on the Board
of Trustees during the two decades that he had been a Fellow
and especially during the two short years of his active service
as a Trustee. By them his untimely death on the Titanic
in the midst of a noble career was keenly felt as an irrepar-
able loss, even as it was by all his friends, by his profession,
which he so loyally represented, and by his country. Such
is the roll of Nature’s gentlemen whom the Museum has lost;
such the places that must be fdled by others.

Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke, also, whose appointment as
Director was a satisfaction to those who knew his rare equip-
ment for rendering a unique service to the Museum, was
destined to perform the duties of his office less than five
years. In the summer of 1909 he was granted a year’s leave
of absence to recuperate his failing health, but the rest proved
in vain. On July 1, 1910, his resignation as Director was
regretfully accepted, and he was proffered the position of
Honorary European Correspondent, which he held until his
death on March 29, 1911. The scholarship and connois-
seurship of Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke were of a high order

319

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

and correspondingly valuable; his distinctive service, how-
ever, a service no one perhaps could have performed so well,
was to bring “the citizens of New York to a realizing sense
of their welcome to the Museum and their participation in
its advantages.”

On October 31, 1910, the Acting Director, Edward Robin-
son, upon whom had devolved the actual conduct of the
affairs of the Museum during the illness of Sir Caspar Purdon
Clarke, was made the third Director of The Metropolitan
Museum of Art.

320

OFFICERS

OF

THE MUSEUM

"-I

OFFICERS OF THE MUSEUM

PRESIDENTS

John Taylor Johnston

HONORARY PRESIDENT FOR LIFE .

Henry Gordon Marquand
Frederick W. Rhinelander .

John Pierpont Morgan .

VICE-PRESIDENTS

William Cullen Bryant .

Andrew H. Green ....

William H. Riggs ....

William H. Aspinwall

Gen. John A. Dix ....

Hon. Edwin D. Morgan .

Alexander T. Stewart

Henry G. Stebbins ....

Marshall O. Roberts

Samuel Finley Breese Morse

Daniel Huntington 1871-1874,

Lucius Tuckerman ....

‘Deceased, March 24, 1893.

‘Deceased, February 26, 1902
‘Deceased, September 25, 1904.

‘From 1870-1874 there were nine vice-presidents.

323

1 870- 1 889
1 889- 1 893 1
1 889- 1 902 2
1902-1904^
1904-

1870-1874^
1870-1874
1870-1874
1870-1874
1 870- 1 874
I 870- I 874
1870-1874
1870-1871

1870- 1871

1871- 1 872
1 876- 1 903

1 872- 1 874

OFFICERS OF THE MUSEUM

VlCE-PRESl DENTS — continued

William CowpER Prime

1874-1 89 0

William Tilden Blodgett

• 1874-1875^

Frederick W. Rhinelander

1 892- 1 902

William Earl Dodge

1902-1903®

John Pi ERPONT Morgan

1 904-4

Rutherfurd Stuyvesant .

1905-1906®

John Stewart Kennedy .

1905-1909®

Darius Ogden Mills

1906-1910^

r^oBERT W. DE Forest

1 909-

Joseph H. Choate

1910-

SECRETARIES, CORRESPONDING «

Russell Sturgis, Jr 1870-1873

William J. Hoppin .... 1873-1874

SECRETARIES, RECORDING
Theodore Weston .... 1870-1872

George Palmer Putnam . . . 1872-®

Russell Sturgis .... 1873-1874

'Resigned May 25, 1891. Action deferred.

'^Deceased, November 4, 1875.

“Deceased, August 9, 1903.

Tfecame President No\'ember 21, 1904.

“Tendered resignation December, 1905. Laid on table.

“Deceased, October 31, 1909.

’Deceased, January 3, 1910.

“From 1870-1874 there were two secretaries, corresponding and recording.
“Deceased, December 29, 1872. Term filled out by Theodore \\’eston

324

OFFICERS OF THE MUSEUM

SECRETARIES

William J. Hoppin ....

1 874- 1 8771

General Louis Palma di Cesnola

1877-19042

Robert W. de Eorest

I 904-*

TREASURERS

Samuel G. Ward ....

1870-1871

Robert Gordon

1871-1872^

ErederickW. Rhinelander

1872-1882

Henry G. Marquand

1882-1889

Salem H. Wales

1889-1892

Hiram Hitchcock . .

1892-1900“

William L. Andrews ....

1901-1902®

Harris C. Eahnestock

1902-1905

John Crosby Brown ....

1905-1909^

Howard Mansfield ....

1909-

HONORARY LIBRARIAN

William Loring Andrews . . 1880-

STAEE OE THE MUSEUM
DIRECTORS

General Louis Palma di Cesnola 1879-1904*

Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke . . 1905-1910*'

Edward Robinson . . . . 1910-

'Resignation accepted June 21, 1877. General Cesnola filled out term.
^Deceased, November 20, 1904.

^Elected November 21, 1904.

^Resignation accepted October 28, 1872.

^Deceased, December 30, 1900.

'Resignation took effect September i, 1902.

’Deceased, June 25, 1909.

'Deceased, November 20, 1904.

'Deceased, March 29, 1911.

325

OFFICERS OF THE MUSEUM

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Edward Robinson

1905-1910

CURATORS

Department of Paintings

William Henry Goodyear
George Henry Story.

Curator Emeritus
Roger E. Fry
Bryson Burroughs .

Department of Sculpture
Isaac H. Hall
William R. Arnold .
Frank Edwin Elwell

Department of Casts

John Alsop Paine

Department of Egyptian Art

Albert Morton Lythgoe

Department of Decorative Arts
William R. Valentiner .
Curator of Metalwork
John H. Buck
Curator of Arms and Armor
Bashford Dean .

Department of Arms and Armor

Bashford Dean .

1886-1888
1889-1906
1906-
1906-1907
1907 1-

1886- 1 896 2

1896-1898

1903-1905

1889-1906

1906-

1907- 1912
1906-1912
1 906- 1912
1912-

‘Acting Curator, 1907-1909: Curator, 1909-
“Deceased, July 2. 1896.

326

INDEX

GENERAL INDEX

Abbott, Henry, Egyptian antiqui-
ties collected by, 39, 40
Academy, Royal. See Royal Acad-
emy

Academy OF Design, National. See
National Academy of Design
Academy of the Fine Arts. See
American Academy of the Fine
Arts

Adams, Charles Francis, United
States minister to England, 256
Adams, Edward D., treasurer of
special committee on casts for
Metropolitan Museum, 232; re-
productions of ancient bronze
sculptures given to Museum by,
253; becomes trustee of Museum,

253

Adams, John, encourages art enter-
prise of John 1 . Browere, 79
Adelphi Society of .Art, S. F. B.

Morse sends his first statue to, 49
Albany, attitude of lawmakers at,
toward art, 7

Alden, Col. Bradford R., e.xamples
of sixteenth and seventeenth
century carved oak purchased
by, 144 n., 146

Alger, Rev. William R., delivers
commemorative oration at un-
veiling of Poe Memorial, 221
Allen, Theodore, suggests forma-
tion of New York Gallery of the
Fine Arts, 64

‘Allston, Washington, enrolled as
honorary member of American
.Academy of the Fine Arts, 24;
S. F. B. Morse studies in London
with, 49

America, museum for preservation
of everything relating to history
of, 4; S. F, B. .Morse delivers
first course of lectures on fine
arts in, 53

American Academy of Arts and
Sciences, Boston, establishment
of, 8nL

American Academy of the Fine
Arts, originated by Chancellor
Robert R. Livingston, 7; origi-
nal agreement of, with subscri-
bers’ names, 8; plan of, 8; entire
scheme of, seems inflated and
grandiose, 10; New York .Acad-
emy of the Fine Arts first sug-
gested as name for, 10; charter
obtained, 10; amendment of
charter, 10; personnel of, 10;
sets about obtaining collection
of casts, 14; list of casts pur-
chased by Robert R. Livingston
for, 16; agreement between John
Vanderlyn and, 16, 17; revival
of, 18, 20, notable address of
DeW itt Clinton before, 21, 22;
holds exhibition of works of art,
22, 24; by-laws of, 25, 26;
Lawrence's full-length portrait of
Benjamin West obtained for, 27;
offers inducements to students,
28; its rules for their govern-
ment, 28, 29; Durand on failure
of, 30, 32; dissolution of, 32;
compelled to seek new quarters,
32; resolutions passed by direc-
tors of, 33, 34; fire in library of,
34; sells portrait of Benjamin
West, 34; its attitude toward
Drawing Association, 46, 48

GENERAL INDEX

American Artists, Society of,
eighth exhibition of paintings
by, 216

American Art Union (earlier
Apollo Association), origin of,
57; Dr. John W. Francis first
president of, 58; William Cullen
Bryant among its later presidents,
58; incorporation of, 58; change
of name, 58; plan of organization
of, 58, 60; conducted by energet-
ic merchants, 60; scope of, 60;
influence of, on the progress of
art, 61

American Institute of Archi-
tects, 209, 210; movement to
erect memorial to Richard Mor-
ris Hunt joined in by, 278

American Museum, use of name,

; passes to P. T. Barnum, 6

American Museum of Natural
History, legislative act author-
izing construction of building for,
138; location of, 150, 151, 13211;
the question of Sunday opening
of, 238 et seq.

American Philosophical Society,
Philadelphia, establishment of,
8«'

American Sabbath Union, opposed
to Sunday opening of museums,
239

American Secular Union, in favor
of Sunday opening of museums,
239

Amsterdam Museum, opening of,
1 19

Andrews, William Loring, appoint-
ed on committee to promote
establishment of museum of art
in New York City, 116; unpacks
art objects at new home of Met-
ropolitan Museum, 183; distin-
guished bibliophile and one of
the founders of the Grolier Club,
206; becomes first librarian, and
later honorary librarian, of
Metropolitan Museum, 206:
etchings by Seymour Haden and
Whistler presented to Museum
by, 221

Apis, Sacred Bull of the Egyptians,
three mummies of, 40

Apollo Association. See Ameri-
can Art Union

Architectural League, movement
to erect memorial to Richard
Morris Hunt joined in by, 278

Architectural Library of the
City of New York, formation
of, 1 1 3

Arnold, Sir Edwin, meets Heber
R. Bishop in China, 274

Arsenal, or Central Park Museum,
plaster casts of Thomas Craw-
ford’s works stored in, 41, 42;
New York Historical Society
wishes to use, for permanent
gallery of art, 99

Art Students’ League, pupils of,
given free tickets of admission to
Metropolitan .Museum, 174; a
typical art school, 248; prize
students from, enrolled in .Metro-
politan .M u s e u m ’s advanced
class, 230

Aspinwall, William H., appiointed
on committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 116; one of
first trustees of .Metropolitan
Museum of .Art, 123

Astor, John Jacob, valuable laces
presented to .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum of Art by, 222

Astor, Mrs. John Jacob, expresses
wish that valuable laces be pre-
sented to Metropolitan .Museum,
222; gift of laces owned by, to
Metropolitan .Museum of Art,
312

Athenaeum. See Nra; York Athen-
aeum

Auchmuty, Richard T., gives to
Metropolitan .Museum, rent free,
buildings for technical school,
203

Augustine, Saint, illuminated man-
uscript of work by, presented to
Metropolitan .Museum of .Art,

255

Avery, Samuel P., art dealer and
collector, loi; his untiring de-
votion to the .Museum, loi;
secretary of meeting to initiate
movement for the establishment
of a museum of art, 104: one of
notable supper party at Union
League Club, 117; committee
on projected museum of art

330

GENERAL INDEX

meets at rooms of, 1 18; his col-
lection of porcelain bought by
Metropolitan Museum, 200, 201 ;
continues his benefactions to
Metropolitan Museum along
many lines, 270; helps William
H. Vanderbilt to secure rich
collection of modern paintings,
274; procures loan of Vanderbilt
Collection for Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 274; death of, 280; esti-
mate of his services, 281
Avery, Mrs. Samuel P., collection
of old silver spoons presented
to Metropolitan Museum by, 270
Axson, Prof. Stockton, of Princeton
University, lectures to high
school teachers at .Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 308

Baker, Gardiner, custodian of
Tammany Museum, 5; secures
full-length portrait of Washing-
ton by Stuart, 5; death of, 5, 6
Baker, George A., portrait painter,
101 ; one of notable supper party
at Union League Club, 1 17
Baker, George F., member of spe-
cial committee on casts for
Metropolitan Museum, 252;
becomes trustee of Museum, 253
Barlow, Samuel Latham Mitchell,
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 116;
member of first executive com-
mittee of Metropolitan Museum
of Art, 123

Barnard, Frederick A. P., LL. D.,
vice-president of meeting to
initiate movement for the estab-
lishment of a museum of art,
104; appointed to investigate
charges brought against Cesnola
collection of Cypriote antiqui-
ties, 222

Barnard, George Grey, American
sculptor, cast of work by, made
in moulding department of Met-
ropolitan Museum, 268
Barnum, Phineas Taylor, American
Museum passes to, 6, 78; Peak’s
.Museum and Gallery of the Fine
.'\rts absorbed by, 78; provides
varied kinds of entertainment in

New York, 78; his museum de-
stroyed by fire, 78
Barrington, .Mrs. E. I., work of, on
catalogue of Watts loan exhibi-
tion, 2 1 5

Beaman, C. C., acts in favor of
Sunday opening of Museum, 244
Beecher, Henry Ward, American
Congregational clergyman and
orator, statue of, by J. Q. A.
Ward, 101

Beguines, sixteenth and seven-
teenth century carved oak from
convent of, 144W.

Belgium, public collections of art
in, 108

Bellevue Hospital, Dr. David
Hosack founder of institution
afterward known as, 10
Bellows, Henry W., D.D., pastor
of All Souls’ Church, 84; attends
meeting to initiate movement
for |the establishment of a mu-
seum of art, 104: speaks in favor
of the project, 1 14, 1 15; one of
notable supper party at Union
League Club; 117; on need of
men of faith and prevision, 121,
122

Bennett, James Gordon, blunt
reply of, to request for favorable
press notice, 64; site of Barnum’s
museum purchased by, 78
Benson, Egbert, first president of
New York Historical Society, 36
Bigelow, John, minister of the
United States to France, 100;
contributes to library of Metro-
politan Museum a collection of
books relating to Benjamin
Franklin, 208; individual flavor
of his correspondence, 213;
views of, on Sunday opening of
Museum, 243; our foremost
citizen, 319; a valued counsellor
to the Museum, 319; adorned
every organization with which
he was connected, 319
Birnie-Philip, Rosalind, executrix
of James Altbott McNeill Whist-
ler, 299

Bishop, Heber R., contributes en-
dowment fund to library of
Metropolitan Museum, 207, 208;
transfers to .Metropolitan Mu-

33'

GENERAL INDEX

seum his extensive collection of
jade, 273, 280; provides for
construction and equipment of
room for its display, 273; directs
that preparation of catalogue be
continued, 273, 274; banker and
director in many railroad com-
panies, 280; trustee of Metro-
politan Museum, 280; death of,
280

Bitter, Karl, fajade of East Wing
of Metropolitan Museum en-
riched with medallions and
caryatids designed by, 276
Blackborne, Thomas, collection of
laces formed by, purchased for
Metropolitan Museum, 313
Bland, Thomas, assistant secretary
of Metropolitan Museum of Art,
180

Blodgett, William Tilden, lends
works of art to fair in aid of
United States Sanitary Commis-
sion, 90, 91 ; appointed on com-
mittee to promote establishment
of museum in New York City,
1 16; member of first executive
committee of .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum of Art, 123; his gift to the
Museum, 133; two collections
of paintings purchased for .Mu-
seum by, 136, 137; letters of
John Taylor Johnston to, 144-
148; contributes to .Metropolitan
Museum's loan exhibition, 166
Blodgett, .Mrs. William T., serves
on Committee of Fine .Arts of
Metropolitan Fair, 91
Bloor, .Alfred J., secretary of meet-
ing to initiate movement for
establishing a museum of art,
104; his reminiscences of the
meeting and of W illiam Cullen
Bryant’s address, 106: further
reminiscences, 117; appointed
member of commission on pur-
chase of casts, 210
Bogert, John G., member of .Amer-
ican Academy of the Fine .Arts,
16

Boker, John G., establishes Dussel-
dorf Gallery, 86

Bolles, H. Eugene, collection of
.American furniture and decora-
tive arts made by, 31 1, 3:2

Bonaparte, Napoleon, Emperor of
the French, honorary member of
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 13; David's picture of
coronation of, 27; his gift to
Academy destroyed by fire, 34
Booth, Edwin, American tragedian,
makes speech of presentation at
unveiling of Poe Memorial, 221
Booth, Mary L., description of New
York Crystal Palace by, 89, 90
Boscoreale Frescoes, purchase of,
by Metropolitan .Museum, 273
Boston .Museum of Fine .Arts, ex-
hibition of pictures at, 192;
doors of, open to public on Sun-
day, 242

Bouguereau, .Adolphe William,
French painter, 91, 190
Boydell. See Inman
Bradish, Luther, agreement trans-
ferring art collection signed by,
38. 39

Breck, George W., recipient of
Lazarus scholarship, 230
Breton, Jules, French painter, 91
Briggs, Charles F., attends meeting
to initiate movement for the es-
tablishment of a museum of art,
104

Bristed, Charles .Astor, celebrates
“artists’ punch” in song, 124
British .Museum, offers of, for part
of Cesnola Collection, 153; for
Curium Treasure, 172; depart-
mental organization of, suggests
that adopted by .Metropolitan
iMuseum of .Art, 218, 219
Brooklyn .Art .Association, stu-
dents of, given free tickets of
admission to .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum. 174

Brooks, James, attends meeting to
initiate movement for the estab-
lishment of a museum of art, 104
Browere, John 1., gallerj' of busts
and statues established by, 78.
79

Brown, John Crosby, treasurer of
.Metropolitan .Museum of .Art,
318; trustee of .Museum for
fourteen consecutive years, 318:
elder in .Madison Square Pres-
byterian Church, 3 18; trustee of
Columbia Lniversitj', 318; presi-

332

GENERAL INDEX

dent of Union Theological Semi-
nary, 318

Brown, Mrs. John Crosby, presents
collection of musical instruments
to Metropolitan Museum 254,

255

Brown, Walter, appointed on com-
mittee to promote establishment
of museum in New York City,
1 16

Brown, William Adams, classifies
and catalogues collection of musi-
cal instruments presented by his
mother to Metropolitan Museum,
254

Bryan, Thomas J., presents collec-
tion of pictures to New York
Historical Society, 43, 44, 72;
sketch of, 44; Richard Grant
White's estimate of his pictures,
44. 45

Bryant, 'William Cullen, American
poet, delivers lectures before
students of National Academy of
Design, 32; his interest in the
Academy, 52, 53; president of
the Apollo Association, 58; meets
American artists at house of
Luman Reed, 64; trustee of New
York Gallery of the Fine Arts,
64; member of the Sketch Club,
84; president of meeting to in-
itiate movement for the estab-
lishment of a museum of art, 104;
appropriateness of his selection
as presiding officer, 106; his
address, 106 et seq.; relates anec-
dote of Samuel Rogers the Eng-
lish poet, 1 12; one of notable
supper party at Union League
Club, 1 17; one of first two vice-
presidents of Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, 123

Bull, William L., acts in favor of
Sunday opening of Museum, 244

Burr, Aaron, Vice-President of the
United States, actively cooper-
ates in organizing American
Academy of the Fine Arts, 8;
aids the artist Vanderlyn, 16

Butler, Charles, appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 16

Butler, Richard, appointed on

committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 16

Cabanel, Alexandre, French paint-
er, portrait of Catharine Loril-
lard Wolfe by, 21 1

Calverley, Charles, upholds au-
thenticity of statues in Cesnola
collection of Cypriote antiqui-
ties, 224

Cannon, Legrand B., appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 16

Canova, Antonio, Italian sculptor,
enrolled as honorary member of
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 24

Carrere & Hastings, Messrs,, in-
trusted with construction of
room for exhibition of Bishop
collection of jade, 273

Carter, Mrs. Robert, principal of
Cooper Union School of Design
for Women, 73

Castellani, Alessandro, collections
of, exhibited by Metropolitan
Museum, 166, 167

Centennial Exhibition, Philadel-
phia, Castellani Collections ex-
hibited at, 167; awakens appre-
ciation of art throughout coun-
try, 170

Central Labor Union, in favor of
Sunday opening of museums, 239

Central Park, New York, plan to
establish public museum and art
gallery in, 40, 41 ; Calvert Vaux
and Frederick Law Olmsted pre-
sent successful plan for laying
out of, 1 53

Central Park Museum. See
Arsenal

Century Association, movement
to erect memorial to Richard
Morris Hunt joined in by, 278

Century Club, an offshoot, not a
successor of, the Sketch Club, 85;
committee on projected museum
of art meets at rooms of, 118

Cesnola, General Louis Palma di,
letter of John Jay to, on founda-
tion of an art gallery, loo; Cyp-
riote collection of, 112, 153;

333

GENERAL INDEX

Hiram Hitchcock’s lecture on
discoveries of, in Cyprus, 150;
by birth an Italian nobleman, by
choice an American citizen, 153;
serves in Civil War, 153; ap-
pointed consul of United States at
Cyprus, 153; begins excavations
there, 153; purchase of his col-
lection, 153, 155; correspondence
between John Taylor Johnston
and, 154, 135: his long term of
service in the Museum, 136;
further excavations at Cyprus
by, 171 ; his work for the museum,
180, 181; appointed director,
181; packs art objects for trans-
fer to new home of Museum, 183;
executive ability and industry
of, 218: makes thorough study
of organization of various Euro-
pean museums, 218: attacks
upon authenticity of Cypriote
antiquities purchased by Metro-
politan Museum from, 222 ft
seq., vindication of, 224, 225;
report of, on Sunday attendance
at Museum, 244; Prof. Augustus
C. Merriam’s letter to, on co-
operation of Columbia Univer-
sity and Metropolitan Museum,
230; acknowledges help received
from Cyrus W. Field, 236;
speaks at banquet on opening
of new wing of Metropolitan
Museum, 266; receives congrat-
ulations on Museum’s largest
bequest, 272; death of, 280:
estimate of his services, 281-283

Chic.ago Art Institute, cast sent
by Metropolitan Museum to,
268

Chipiez, Charles, casts made for
Metropolitan Museum under
direction of, 2 1 1

Choate, Joseph Hodges, American
lawyer, orator, and diplomatist,
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 116:
one of first executive committee
of Metropolitan Museum of Art,
123; on first collection of paint-
ings purchased for the Museum,
137; address of, at opening of
new home of Metropolitan Mu-

seum, 183, 196, 198, 199, 200:
counsel for General Cesnola in
libel suit brought against him,
224; in favor of Sunday opening
of Metropolitan Museum, 238;
presides at banquet on opening
of new wing of Museum, 266
Choate, Mrs. Joseph H., member of
advisory council of Cooper Union
School of Design for Women, 72
Church, Frederic E., appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 116; one of first
executive committee of Metro-
politan Museum of .Art, 123;
contributes to .Museum's loan
exhibition, 166

Cincinnati .Museum, opens its
doors to the public on Sunday,
242

Civil War, movement to establish
permanent gallery of art in New
"York at dose of, 99
Clarke, Sir Caspar Purdon, elected
director of .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum of Art, 292; his marked
executive ability, 292, 293; his
expert knowledge of art, 293;
unusually equipped to win
friends for the .Museum, 293;
reception tendered to, 293; mem-
ber of Sub-committee on Art
Exhibits of Hudson-Fulton Com-
mission, 298; granted leave of
absence to recuperate failing
health, 319; his resignation as
director of .Museum regretfully
accepted, 319: accepts position
of honorary European correspon-
dent, 319: death of, 319; his
scholarship and connoisseurship
of a high order, 319: his distinct-
ive service to the .Museum, 320
Clarke, J. Edwards, congratulates
General Cesnola on .Museum's
largest bequest, 272
Clausen, George C., at exercises
on opening of new wing of .Met-
ropolitan Aluseum, 266
Clinton, DeWitt, extract from ad-
dress by, 8 ii.U director of .Ameri-
can .Academy of the Fine .Arts,
10; mayor of New York City and
governor of New York State, 10;

334

GENERAL INDEX

revival of American Academy of
the Fine Arts largely through
influence of, i8; resigns presi-
dency of the Academy, 21; de-
livers notable address, 21, 22;
letter of S. F. B. Morse to, 30, 46;
founder of New York Historical
Society, 36; memorable letter of
John Pintard to, 36, 38

Clinton, George, Vice-President of
the United States, residence of,
18

Cluny Museum, Paris, illustrates
applied arts of middle ages, i 19

Golden, Cadwallader D., American
lawyer, active worker for the
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 10, 13: at head of his pro-
fession as commercial lawyer, 13;
succeeds DeWitt Clinton as
mayor of New York, 13; peti-
tions Corporation of New York
in behalf of John Vanderlyn, 83

Cole, C. C., advocates loan collec-
tion as part of projected museum,
1 14, 131

Cole, Thomas, member of Drawing
Association, 45, 46; William
Cullen Bryant delivers eulogy
on, 52; prize painting by, 60;
enriched by commissions and
friendship of Luman Reed, 62:
assists in interior decoration of
Luman Reed’s house, 64; Met-
ropolitan Museum exhibits
paintings by, 166

Coles, Elizabeth U., collection of
tapestries, vases, statuary, and
paintings, and fund of §20,000,
left by, to Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 255, 256

Colgate, James B., appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 16

CoLMAN, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel, pre-
sent collection of Japanese and
Chinese pottery to Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 255

Columbia College (later Univer-
sity), Dr. David Hosack profes-
sor of botany at, 10; S. F. B.
■Morse addresses students of
National Academy of Design in
chapel of, 52; codperation with

Metropolitan Museum of Art,
250,251; liberality of Samuel P.
Avery to, 281

Columbian Exposition, efforts in
behalf of New York as location
for, 257-259; goes to Chicago,
259

Columbian Order. See Tammany
Society

Colvin, Sidney, expresses regret
that Cesnola Collection should
go to America, i 56

CoLYER, Vincent, American painter,

lOI

Comfort, Prof. George Fiske, in-
timately connected with incep-
tion of Metropolitan Museum of
Art, 90; speaks in favor of es-
tablishing a museum of art, 102,
1 12, 1 13; appointed on commit-
tee to promote establishment of
museum of art in New York City,
116; one of notable supper party
at Union League Club, 1 17; his
helpful letter to George P. Put-
nam, 119, 120; member of first
executive committee of Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 123;
recalls interesting incident of
early history of Museum, 138,

139

Common Council, New York, mem-
orial of literary societies laid
before, 38; its reply, 38

Congress Hall, Morse's picture of,
6

Connecticut Academy of Arts
AND Sciences, establishment of,
8 n}

Constable, John, English painter,
60

Cook, Clarence, attack by, upon
authenticity of statues in Ces-
nola collection of Cypriote anti-
quities, 223

Cooper, James Eenimore, letter of
S. E. B. Morse to, 6, 7; meets
■American artists at house of Lu-
man Reed, 64

Cooper, Peter, American inventor,
manufacturer, and philanthro-
pist, dominating purpose of, 68;
his early education, 68; buys
property on which Cooper
Union stands, 68; founds first

335

GENERAL INDEX

institution in this country for
free education of the working
classes, 68; quotation from his
letter to the trustees, 68, 70;
trust deed executed by, and
Sarah his wife, 70; his serene old
age, 73; his beneficence appre-
ciated, 73; supervises the insti-
tution until his death, 73; his
plan for a museum in connection
with Cooper Union, 73, 74
Cooper Union (or Cooper Insti-
tute), Bryan collection of pic-
tures deposited temporarily in,
44; development of industrial
art by, 34; name of Peter Cooper
contributes to interest in, 68;
first institution in this country
for free education of the working
classes, 68; extract from Peter
Cooper's letter to trustees of,
68, 70; trust deed of, executed by
Peter Cooper and Sarah his wife,
70; extracts from charter of,
70, 71, 72; its night art classes,
71; free gallery of art in, 71, 72;
its School of Design for W omen,
72, 73, 92; supervised by Peter
Cooper until his death, 73; es-
tablishment of museum in con-
nection with, 73-75; Metropoli-
tan Museum's paintings tempo-
rarily stored in, 143; students
of, given free tickets of admission
to Metropolitan Museum, 174
Copley, John Singleton, American
historical painter, exhibition of
colonial portraits by, 299
■Corcoran Gallery of Art, Wash-
ington, picture of Congress Hall
by Morse now in possession of,
6 n?', marble Napoleon from
John Taylor Johnston collection
now exhibited in, 146 gives
series of photographs to Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 173
Corot, Jean Baptiste Camille,
French painter, 192
Corrigan, Michael Augustine,
Archbishop of NewYork, 266, 268
Cosmopolitan Art Association,
establishment and purposes of,
88 k.

Couture, Thomas, French painter,

91

Cox, Kenyon, .American painter’
lectures to high school teachers
at Metropolitan .Museum of .Art,
308

CozzENS, A. .M., lends works of art
to fair in aid of United States
Sanitary Commission, 90, 91

Crawford, Louisa W., presents
plaster casts of Thomas Craw-
ford's works to New York City,

41. 42

Crawford, Thomas, plaster casts of
works of, stored in .Arsenal, 41 , 42

Cruger, Mrs. Douglas, .Metropoli-
tan Museum's second home in
mansion of, 161 , 162

Crystal Palace Exhibition, New
York, history of, 89, 90

CuLLUM, George W., bequest of, to
.Metropolitan .Museum of .Art,
252,253

Cummings, Thomas Seir, chronicler
of history of .American .Academy
oftheFine.Arts, 27,28; historian
of Drawing .Association, 45; on
lectures of William Cullen Bry-
ant before students of National
Academy of Design, 52 ; trustee
of New York Gallery of the Fine
.Arts, 64

Curium Treasure, discovery of, by
General Cesnola, 172; foreign
offers for, 172

Curtis, George William, .American
Journalist, author, and orator,
sends letter of good wishes for
projected museum of art, 115;
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 116;
congratulatory letter from, on
vindication of director of .Metro-
politan Museum. 225

Cutting, William, director of .Amer-
ican .Academy of the Fine .Arts,
10

Cypriote Collection of .Anti-
quities, Cyrus W. Field's in-
terest in purchase of, 256

Cyprus, General Cesnola's excava-
tions at, 153, 171; art and
civilization of, 225

Daly, Hon. Charles P., appointed
to investigate charges brought

336

GENERAL INDEX

against Cesnola collection of
Cypriote antiquities, 222
David, Jacques Louis, coronation of
Napoleon painted by, 27
Davis, Alexander last secretary
of American Academy of the
Fine Arts, 32, 34

De Civitate Dei, by Saint Augus-
tine, illuminated manuscript of,

255

Declaration of Independence,
Robert R. Livingston one of five
to draft the, 13

de Forest, Robert W., vice-chair-
man of special committee on
casts for Metropolitan Museum,
252; secretary of Board of
Trustees of Museum, 289; his
deep interest in Museum's af-
fairs, 289; second vice-president
of Metropolitan Museum of Art,
289; has given his time and
energy unstintingly to the af-
fairs of the Museum, 289, 290;
chairman of Sub-committee on
Art Exhibits of Hudson-Fulton
Commission, 298

de Forest, Mrs. Robert W., in-
strumental in procuring for Mu-
seum gifts of rare examples of
lacemaker’s art, 3 12
Delaroche, Paul, French painter,
60

della Robbia, Luca. See Robbia
Del Sarto, Andrea. See Sarto
Denon, Vivant, French archaeolo-
gist and diplomatist, 13
Depew, Chauncey Mitchell, speaks,
at banquet on opening of new
wing of Metropolitan Museum,
266

Design, National Academy of. See
National

Detmold, C. E., appointed on com-
mittee to promote establishment
of museum of art in New York
City, 116; one of first trustees of
Metropolitan Museum, 123
Deutsches Museum, Nuremberg,
illustrates application of art to
industry, i 19

Diaz, Narcisse, Erench painter,
192

Dielman, Erederick, director of
Cooper Union School of Design

for Women, 73; academician of
National Academy of Design, 73
Dix, General John A., appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 116; one of first two
vice-presidents of Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 123
Dodge, William E. (1805-1883),
bequest of, to Metropolitan
Museum, 271

Dodge, William E., Jr. (1832-1903),
vice-president of meeting to in-
itiate movement for the estab-
lishment of a museum of art, 104:
sends letter of good wishes, 1 15;
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 116;
supplements his father's gift to
Metropolitan Museum, 271; a
merchant of extensive business
interests, 280; trustee of Metro-
politan Museum, 280; chairman
of Executive Committee of Mu-
seum, 280; death of, 280
Drawing Association. See New
York Drawing Association.
Drexel, Joseph W., ancient musi-
cal instruments presented to
Metropolitan Museum by, 221;
trustee and patron of Metropoli-
tan Museum, death of, 254;
disposition of his art collections,
254

Drexel, Lucy W., gifts of, to
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
254, 255

Dun, R. G., bequeaths all or any
part of his collection of pictures
to Metropolitan Museum, 270
Dunlap, William, American painter
and author, list of casts given by ,
16; chronicler of history of Amer-
ican Academy of the Fine Arts,
27, 28; member of Drawing
Association, 45, 46
Dupre, Jules, French painter, 192
Durand, Asher Brown, member of
New York Drawing Association,
45; fine engravings by, 57; en-
riched by commissions and
friendship of Luman Reed, 62;
assists in interior decoration of
Luman Reed's house, 64

337

GENERAL INDEX

Durand, John, analysis of character
of the painter Trumbull by, 14;
on failure of American Academy
of the Fine Arts, 30, 32; agree-
ment transferring art collection
signed by, 38,39: on the influence
of the American Art Union, 61,
62; on the membership of the
Sketch Club, 84

Durkee, Joseph H., interesting
collection of ancient coins be-
queathed to Metropolitan Mu-
seum by, 270

Durr, Louis, bequeaths collection
of paintings to New York His-
torical Society, 43

Dusseldorf Gallery, establish-
ment of, 86; catalogue of, 86, 87;
Elihu Vedder on, 87, 88; its his-
tory, 88; sale of, 88, 89

Eggleston, George Cary, acts on
behalf of New York World in
favor of opening Museum on
Sunday, 244

Egleston, Prof. Thomas, task of
forming collection of industrial
art assigned to, 201, 202

Egypt, Khedive of. Site. Khedive

Eg^ PT. marbles from old civilization
of, 232

Egyptian Antiquities, Abbott Col-
lection of, secured for New York
Historical Society, 39

Ellin, Robert, upholds authenticity
of statues in Cesnola collection
of Cypriote antiquities, 224

Ellis, A. Van Horne, collection of
arms and armor received by
Metropolitan Museum from, 269,
270

Ellis, John S., collection of arms
and armor brought together by,
269, 270

Ellis, Mrs. John S., collection of
arms and armor received by
Metropolitan Museum from, 269,
270

England, treasures of art in, 108;
pictures epitomizing dramatic
history of, 233

Erie Canal, celebration of opening
of, 10

Evauts, .Alien W., counsel for
General Cesnola in libel suit
brought against him, 224

Fagan, Louis, Keeper of Prints in
British Museum, lectures in New
York, 251

Faile, I homas H., treasurer of New
York Gallery of the Fine .Arts,
64; furnishes financial backing to
the Gallery, 67

Farquhar, Captain, casts stowed
away in obscurity in store of, 18
Ferguson, John, petitions Corpora-
tion of New York in behalf of
John Vanderlyn, 83
Feuardent, Gaston L., attack by,
upon authenticity of Cesnola
collection of Cypriote antiqui-
ties. 222; brings libel suit
against General Cesnola, 224
Field, Benjamin H., appointed on
committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 1 16
Field, Cyrus West, founder of .At-
lantic Cable Company, offers
liberal sum toward raising
amount paid for Cesnola Collec-
tion, 156; presents to .Metropoli-
tan Museum his collection of
objects associated with laying of
Atlantic cable. 256; his interest
in purchase of Cesnola Collection,
236; General Cesnola's acknowl-
edgment of his services, 236
Field, Osgood, bequeaths varied
list of works of art to .Metropoli-
tan .Museum, 270

Field, William B. Osgood, generous
offer of, to .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum of .Art, 270, 271
Fine .Arts, .American .Academy of
the. See American Academy of
the Fine Arts

Fischbach, Friedrich, of Wiesbaden,
collection of textiles formed by,
acquired by .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum of .Art, 313

Fish, Hamilton, member of Sketch
Club and president of New A ork
Historical Society, 84
Fitch, .Ashbel P., at exercises on
opening of new wing of .Metro-
politan .Museum, 266
Flagg, George W ., .American paint-
er, assists in decorating home
of Luman Reed, 64; nephew of
Washington Allston, 66

338

GENERAL INDEX

France, Chancellor Livingston
brings Gobelin tapestries from,
8; treasures of art in, io8; out-
break of war between Prussia
and, 136; pictures epitomizing
dramatic history of, 233

Francis, Dr. John W., gives de-
tailed account of Indian relics in
Tammany Museum, 4; long
actively interested in welfare of
art, 58; becomes first president
of Apollo Association, 38

Franklin, Benjamin, bust of, by
Houdon 79; books relating to,
given by John Bigelow to library
of Metropolitan Museum, 208;
objects connected with, pre-
sented to Museum by William
H. Huntington, 208

French, Daniel Chester, upholds
authenticity of statues in Ces-
nola collection of Cypriote anti-
quities, 224; chosen as sculptor
of memorial to Richard Morris
Hunt, 278; chairman of commit-
tee to arrange memorial exhibi-
tion of works of Augustus Saint-
Gaudens, 297

French, Edwin Da\'is, invitations
designed and engraved by, 266;
excellent work of, represented in
Museum Library’s book-plates,
266

Fulton, Robert, director of Ameri-
can Academy of the Fine Arts, 8;
death of, 8; Chancellor Living-
ston interested with, in develop-
ing plan of steam navigation, 13;
eulogy by DeWitt Clinton on, 22

Gallery of the Fine Arts. See
New York Gallery of the Fine
Arts

Garland, James A., American
banker, patron of art, and con-
noisseur, 278; places valuable
collection of ancient Chinese
porcelain on exhibition at Met-
ropolitan Museum, 279; death of,
279

Germanicus, drawings executed
from statue of, 29

Gerome, Jean Leon, French painter,
91, 190

Ghent, examples of sixteenth and

seventeenth century carved oak
from, 144 n.

Ghirlandajo (originally Do.menico
Bigordi or'Corradi), Florentine
painter, 166

Gifford, R. Swain, director of
Cooper Union School of Design
for Women, 73; academician of
National Academy of Design, 73

Gifford, Sandford R., appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 17

Gladstone, William Ewart, British
statesman, financier, and orator,
136; General Cesnola introduced
to, by Cyrus W. Field, 236

Gobelin Tapestries, Chancellor
Livingston’s home at Clermont
decorated with, 8

Godkin, Edwin Lawrence, American
journalist and author, congratu-
latory letter from, on vindication
of director of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 223

Godwin, Parke, proposes exhibition
of New York’s private collec-
tions of art, 170, 171; speaks at
banquet on opening of new wing
of Metropolitan Museum, 266

Golgos, sculptures and inscriptions
of, 133

Goode, George Brown, on the es-
tablishment of museums, 7 n.

Goodyear, William Henry, Ameri-
can connoisseur, appointed cura-
tor of Department of Paintings
in Metropolitan Museum of Art,
2 1 8, 2 1 9

Gordon, Robert, appointed on com-
mittee to promote establish-
ment of museum in New York
City, I 17; one of first executive
committee of Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, 123; offers liberal
sum toward raising amount paid
for Cesnola Collection, 1 36

Gorringe, Lieutenant-Commander,
U. S. N., brings obelisk from
Egypt to Metropolitan Museum
of Art, 220; presents to Museum
two antique bronze crabs, 220

Gotha Museum, remarkable collec-
tion of casts of coins in, 1 19

Gould, Helen Miller, presents

339

GENERAL INDEX

Murch collection of Egyptian
antiquities to Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 3 12

Grant, Hugh J., as mayor of New
York, appoints committees for
preliminary work of proposed
Columbian Exposition, 257; let-
ter to, on projected Exposition,
257-259

Granville, Earl, introduction of
General Cesnola to, by Cyrus
W. Field, 256

Greece, marbles from old civiliza-
tion of, 232

Green, Andrew H., vice-president
of meeting to initiate movement
for the establishment of a
museum of art, 104; appointed
on committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum in New
York City, 117; conceives plan
of Central Park, 118 n.\ one of
first trustees of Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 123; his idea of
art museum erected and equipped
by Park Commission, 153

Griscom, John, highly esteemed
Quaker physician, 20 n}

Griswold, George, appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 17

Grolier Club, New York, 206

Haight, R. K., presents Flora of
Thomas Crawford to New York
City, 42

Hall, G. Stanley, President of
Clark University, lectures to
high school teachers at Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 308

Hall, Prof. Isaac H., curator of
Department of Sculpture in
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
219: attainments and faithful
service of, 220; liberal contri-
butor to welfare of Museum, 220;
acknowledged leader of Ameri-
can scholars in Syriac language
and literature, 220

Hall, Rev, Dr. John, at exercises
on opening new building of
Metropolitan Museum, 231

Hall, John H., appointed on com-
mittee to promote establishment

of museum of art in New York
City, 1 17

Halleck, Fitz-Greene, .American
poet, humorous quotations from,
20, 76

Hals, Frans, Dutch painter, loan
exhibition of pictures by, in
connection with Hudson-Fulton
Celebration, 298

Hamlin, Prof. A. D. T., lectures in
New York under auspices of
Metropolitan Museum and Col-
umbia University, 251
Haney, Dr. James P., appointed to
investigate feasibility of coop-
eration of school authorities with
Metropolitan .Museum, 308
Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, nine-
teenth President of the United
States, at exercises on opening of
Metropolitan .Museum of Art, 196
Hearn, George A., gifts and loans
by, to Department of Paintings
of .Metropolitan .Museum, 270;
member of Sub-committee on
Art Exhibits of Hudson-Fulton
Commission, 298: his noteworthy
munificence toward contempor-
ary American art, 314
Heliopolis, original site of obelisk
now in Central Park, New York,
22 1

Henry 1\', Chancellor Livingston
secures portrait of, 8
Herculaneum, bronze sculptures
found in villa at, 253
Herring, James, portrait painter,
origin of .Apollo Association due
to, 37: opens the .Apollo Gallery,
57, 58. See Longacre
Hewitt, .Abram Stevens, .American
statesman, presents collection of
casts to Cooper Union .Museum,
74: at exercises on opening new
building of .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum, 231, 232 ; in favor of Sun-
day opening of .Museum, 236
Hewitt, Mrs. .Abram, member of
advisory council of Cooper Union
School of Design for Women, 72;
presents collection of casts to
Cooper Union .Museum, 74
Hewitt, Frederick C., makes large
gift to .Metropolitan .Museum of
Art, 315

340

GENERAL INDEX

Historical Library. See New
York Historical Library

Historical Society. See New York
Historical Society

Hitchcock, Hiram, lecture of, on
General Cesnola’s discoveries in
Cyprus, 150; last of original mem-
bers of firm that opened Fifth
Avenue Hotel, 278; term of serv-
ice as Museum trustee, 279;
helps in effecting purchase of
Cypriote antiquities by Museum,
279; acts as treasurer for many
years, 279; a man of remarkable
decision and firmness of char-
acter, 279

Hitchcock, Roswell D., appointed
to investigate charges brought
against Cesnola collection of
Cypriote antiquities, 223

Hoe, Robert, art collector and
patron of Metropolitan Museum,
92; appointed on committee to
promote establishment of mu-
seum of art in New York City,
1 17; one of first executive com-
mittee of Metropolitan Museum
of Art, 123; contributes to Mu-
seum’s loan collection, 166; offers
to furnish photographs of objects
in Museum at his own expense,
173; chairman of Committee on
Art Schools of Metropolitan
Museum, 204

Hoentschel, Georges, distinguished
architect of Paris, collects objects
of French decorative art, 310

Holland, public collections of art
in, 108

Homer, Winslow, American painter,
memorial exhibition of works of,

299

Hoppin, William J., vice-president
of meeting to initiate movement
for the establishment of a mu-
seum of art, 104; urges coopera-
tion with the Historical Society,
115; appointed on committee to
promote establishment of mu-
seum of art in New York City,
1 17; one of first trustees of Met-
ropolitan Museum of Art, 123

Hosack, David, director of Ameri-
can Academy of the Fine Arts,
10; practitioner, teacher, and

writer on medical and scientific
subjects, 10; gives financial aid
to American Academy of the
Fine Arts, 18, 20; directors of
Academy enter into contract
with, 32, 33; founder of New
York Historical Society, 36

Houdon, Jean Antoine, French
sculptor, busts of famous
Americans by, 79

Howland, ex-judge, acts in favor of
Sunday opening of Museum,
244

Hudson-Fulton Celebration,
loan exhibition of paintings and
industrial arts held in connection
with, 298

Hunt, Richard Howland, succeeds
his father as architect to Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 276

Hunt, Richard Morris, American
architect, vice-president of meet-
ing to initiate movement for the
establishment of a museum of
art, 104; pledges help of Ameri-
can Institute of Architects, 113;
appointed on committee to
promote establishment of mu-
seum of art in New York City,
117; one of first executive com-
mittee of Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, 123; report on
plans of Museum signed by,
176; contributes architectural
casts to Metropolitan Museum,
201; plan of new extension and
general scheme of all future ad-
ditions to Metropolitan Museum
intrusted to, 276; death of, 276,
278; movement to erect mem-
orial to, 278; dedication of mem-
orial, 278

Hunt, W'illiam Morris, American
painter, exhibition of pictures by,
192

Huntington, Daniel, picture of
Congress Hall by Morse becomes
property of, 6 nH, serves on Com-
mittee of Fine Arts of Metropoli-
tan Fair, 91; vice-president of
meeting to initiate movement for
the establishment of a museum
of art, 104; appointed on com-
mittee to promote establishment
of museum of art in New York

341

GENERAL INDEX

City, 1 17; William C. Prime sits
to, for portrait, 245;!.

Huniington, William H., books
relating to Benjamin Franklin
gathered by, 208; collection of
objects connected with Wash-
ington, Lafayette, and Franklin
presented to Metropolitan Mu-
seum by, 208

FiuTCHiNS, H. Gordon, assistant
superintendent of Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 18011.

Independence, Declaration of.
See Declaration

Ingham, C. C., member of New
York Drawing .Association, 45,
46; Sketch Club inaugurated at
suggestion of, 84

Inman, Flenry, member of Drawing
■Association, 45: relatives of stu-
dent of, give scholarship to Met-
ropolitan Museum, 249

Inman, John (pseudonym Boydell),
writings of, 46

International Art Union, plan of,
86; a short-lived enterprise, 86

Irving, Washington, .American his-
torian, essayist, and novelist,
meets American artists at house
of Luman Reed, 64

Italy, inheritor of glorious produc-
tions of her own artists, 108;
American artists swarm in, 109;
pictures epitomizing dramatic
history of, 233

Jacque, Charles Emile, French
painter and etcher, 192

Jameson, Mrs., paper by, 60

Jarves, James Jackson, collection
of old Y'enetian glass presented
to Metropolitan Museum by,
221; congratulatory letter from,
on vindication of Museum's
director, 22,

Jarvis, John Wesley, brilliant but
erratic painter, 18

Jay, John (1745-1829), .American
statesman and jurist, residence
of, 18

Jay, John (1817-1894), initiates
movement to establish a museum
of art, 99, 100; writes to General
Cesnola on foundation of an art

gallery, 100; elected president of
Union League Club, loi; ap>-
pointed United States ambassa-
dor to Austria, 103; at exer-
cises on opening new building of
Metropolitan .Museum, 231
J efferson, Thomas, third President
of the United States, encourages
art enterprise of John 1. Browere,
79; bust of, by Houdon, 79
Jesup, Morris K., contributes to
loan exhibition of .Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 166; opposed to
Sunday opening of museums, 239
Johnson, Eastman, American
painter, one of first executive
committee of .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum of art, 123; exhibition of
his work by Museum, 190
Johnson, J. .Augustus, donates
sarcophagus to .Metropolitan
.Museum of Art, 146, 147
Johnston, John Taylor, .American
business man and philanthropist,
lends works of art to fair in aid
of United States Sanitary Com-
mission, 90, 91; appointed on
committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, i 16; first presi-
dent of .Metropolitan .Museum of
Art, 123, 124; his gift to the
•Museum, 133; assists William
T. Blodgett in purchasing two
collections of paintings for the
Museum, 136 ,137: letters of, to
William T. Blodgett, 144-148;
offers $50,000 for Cesnola col-
lection of Cypriote antiquities,
153, 154; correspondence be-

tween General Cesnola and, 1 54,
155; contributes to .Metropolitan
Aluseum’s loan exhibition, 166;
purchases further antiquities
from General Cesnola, 172; re-
ception and luncheon at home of,
on opening day of .Museum, 194;
at exercises on opening of .Mu-
seum, 196; elected Honorary
President for Life by trustees of
.Metropolitan .Museum, 233; pro-
vision for Italian Renaissance
casts made by, and his children,

253

Johnston, Margaret Taylor, classi-

GENERAL INDEX

fication of laces by, in Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 312;
enthusiastic interest and untiring
industry of, 312

JoLY, A., casts made for Metropoli-
tan Museum by, 2 1 1

Jones, John Paul, American naval
commander, bust of, by Houdon,

79

Josephine, Empress, painted by
David, 27

JuDSON, Mrs. Isabelle Field, letter
from General Cesnola to, 256

Karnak, model of Hypostyle Hall
at, 211

Kelby, R. H., citation from, on pro-
ceedings to establish public
museum and art gallery in
Central Park, 41

Kennedy, John Stewart, member of
special committee on casts for
Metropolitan Museum, 252: se-
cond vice-president of the mu-
seum, 315,318; his long years of
conscientious service to the Mu-
seum, 315, 318; a princely giver,
315; extract from preface to his
will, 315, 316

Kennedy, Robert Lenox, appointed
on committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, i 16; contributes
to Metropolitan Museum’s loan
exhibition, 166

Kensett, John Frederick, American
painter, 101; member of notable
supper party at Union League
Club, 1 17; one of first trustees
of Metropolitan Museum of Art,
123; memorial exhibition
of paintings by, 166

Kensington Museum. See South
Kensington Museum

Kent, Henry W., Assistant Secre-
tary of Metropolitan Museum,
appointed Supervisor of Museum
Instruction, 305

Khedive of Egypt, gift of obelisk
to City of New York by, 220

King, Rev. C. W., collection of en-
graved gems made by, acquired
by Metropolitan Museum of Art,
201

King, Dr. F. G., lecturer in schools

of National Academy of Design,

32

King, Mary LeRoy, gives illumi-
nated manuscript to Metropoli-
tan Museum of Art, 255

Kubasek, Frau, of Vienna, directs
classification and arrangement of
laces in Metropolitan Museum of
Art, 312

Kunz, George Frederick, American
mineralogist and expert in gems,
invited to take charge of scien-
tific part of catalogue describing
Bishop collection of jade, 274;
member of Sub-committee on
Art Exhibits of Hudson-Fulton
Commission, 298

Ladies’ Christian Union, opposed
to Sunday opening of museums,
239

LaFarge, John, American artist,
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 1 16;
contributes to Metropolitan Mu-
seum’s loan exhibition, 166:
placed in charge of class of ad-
vanced students in Museum’s
art schools, 250

Lafayette, Marquis de, French
general and statesman, encour-
ages art enterprise of John 1.
Browere, 79; objects relating
to, presented to Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 208

Laffan, William Mackay, editor,
scholar, and lover of the beau-
tiful, 318; enriches Museum by
his five years’ trusteeship, 318

Lawrence, Thomas, English paint-
er, enrolled as honorary member
of American Academy of the
Fine Arts, 24; full-length por-
trait of Benjamin West by, 27, 34

Lazarus, Amelia B., gift, of, to art
schools of Metropolitan Museum,
249

Lazarus, Emilie, gift of, to art
schools of Metropolitan Museum,
249

Lazarus, Jacob H., gift of scholar-
ship to Museum as memorial of,
249

Lazarus, Sarah and Josephine,

343

GENERAL INDEX

miniatures, boxes, and other art
objects presented to Metropoli-
tan Museum by, 222

Le Brun, Napoleon, stipulation by
Levi Hale Willard with regard
to, 209; appointed member of
commission on purchase of casts,
210

Le Brun, Pierre, appointment of,
as purchasing agent desired by
Levi Hale Willard, 209; report
by, 209; receives appointment
from American Institute of
Architects, 210; makes three
visits to Europe, 210; displays
good judgment in his selection,
2 10; member of special commit-
tee on casts for Metropolitan
Museum, 252

Lefebvre, Jules, French painter,
192

Leipsic Museum, opening of, 1 19

Leland, Francis L., makes large
gift of money to Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 3 16

Lenox, James, presents Nineveh
Sculptures to New York Histori-
cal Society, 39; art collection of,
in New York Public Library, 92;
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 1 16

Leutze, E., serves on Committee of
Fine Arts of Metropolitan Fair,
91

Lind, Jenny, sings in New York
under engagement by P. T.
Barnum, 78

Littell, Emlen T., appointed mem-
ber of commission on purchase
of casts, 2 10

Livingston, Edward, first president
of American Academy of the
Fine Arts, 8; noted jurist and
statesman, 13

Fivingston, Robert R., American
statesman and jurist, originates
first society for encouragement
of fine arts in United States, 7;
his home at Clermont, 8; presi-
dent of the American ,\cademy
of the Fine Arts, 10; a man of
international fame, 13; adminis-
ters oath of office to George
Washington, 13; interested with

Robert Fulton in developing plan
of steam navigation, 13; success-
ful as ambassador in securing
cession of Louisiana to United
States, 13; personal friend of
Napoleon Bonaparte, 13; first
purchasing agent in Paris for
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 14; casts shipped to New
York by, 14, 16; their arrival
and exhibition, 18; eulogy by
DeWitt Clinton on, 22

Livingston, Vanbrugh, portrait of,

23

London, S. F. B. Morse studies with
Allston in, 49

Longacre, James B., publishes,
with James Herring, a note-
worthy work, 37

Loop, Henry A., .American painter,
190

Louisiana, codification of penal
laws of, 13; cession of, to United
States, 13

Louvre, collection of art in, 13, 133

Low, a. A., appointed on committee
to promote establishment of
museum of art in New York City,
1 16

Low, Seth, cooperation of Columbia
University with Metropolitan
Museum promoted by, 230;
speaks at banquet on opening
of new wing of .Metropolitan
.Museum, 266; as mayor of New
York delivers address at cere-
monies on opening of East Wing
of Museum, 278

Lucas van Leyden (Lucas
Jacobsz), Dutch engraver and
painter, 44

Lysikrates, cast of .Monument of,
210

Mac.Monnies, Frederick, acquires
early education in Cooper Union
night art classes, 71

.Madou, Jean Baptiste, Belgian
painter, 192

Madrid, rich private collection of
pictures in, 109

.Magrath, William, .American
painter, 190

Manhattan, only museum on is-
land of, 3

344

GENERAL INDEX

Mansfield, Howard, member of
special committee on casts for
Metropolitan Museum, 252; be-
comes trustee of Museum, 253
Marcke, Emile van, French painter,
192

Marquand, Allan, member of spec-
ial -committee on casts for Met-
ropolitan Museum, 252
Marquand, Henry Gurdon, ap-
pointed on committee to promote
establishment of museum of art
in New York City, 116; contri-
butes to Metropolitan Museum’s
loan exhibition, 166; collection of
sculptural casts procured by
Museum through gift of, 21 1;
Charvet collection of ancient
glass presented to Museum by,
221; at exercises on opening new
building of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 231; peculiarly fitted to
succeed John Taylor Johnston
as president of Metropolitan
Museum, 233, 234; his benefac-
tions to varied activities of Mu-
seum, 247, 253; chairman of
special committee on casts for
Metropolitan Museum, 252; pre-
sents to Museum his collection
of paintings by old masters, 253,
254; at exercises on opening of
new wing of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 266; speaks at banquet in
the evening, 266; presents altar-
piece by Luca della Robbia to
Metropolitan Museum, 268;
death of, 278, 279; estimate of
his services to Museum, 279, 280
Maspero, Prof. Gaston, Egyptian
antiquities discovered by, 212,
213

McKim, Charles Pollen, American
architect, services of, a public
heritage, 318; leaves a memory
of personal charm, 318
McKim, Mead & White, Messrs.,
appointed architects to Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 309
Mead, Gertrude (later Mrs. Edwin
A. Abbey), Metropolitan Mu-
seum indebted to, in connection
with Watts loan exhibition, 215
Meissonier, Jean Louis Ernest,
French painter, 91

Menes, first Pharaoh of Egypt,
necklace and ear-rings stamped
with name of, 40

Merriam, Prof, Augustus C., co-
operation of Metropolitan Mu-
seum and Columbia University
promoted by, 250; lectures in
New York under auspices of
Museum and University, 251;
member of special committee on
casts for Metropolitan Museum,
252

Methodist Episcopal Church.
See New York East Conference

Metropolitan Art Museum Asso-
ciation, sub-committee to draw
plan of organization for, 1 19

Metropolitan Fair Picture Gal-
lery, history of, 90-92

Metropolitan Museum of Art,
events antedating incorporation
of, 3,91,92: six important insti-
tutions of art established earlier
than, 6; incorporation of, 42,
125; act providing for erection
of building for, 42, 43; article
discussing prospects of, 43; Prof.
George F. Comfort intimately
connected with inception of, 90:
site selected for, 1 18 n.; plan of
organization, 121, 122; its first
officers, 122, 123; constitution of,
125 cf seq.) report of Loan Ex-
hibition Committee of, 13 1, 132;
Messrs. Tiffany & Co.'s offer to.
132; influence of South Kensing-
ton Museum upon, 134; collec-
tion of Dutch, Flemish, Italian,
French, English, and Spanish
paintings purchased for, 135, 136,
comes into possession of a valu-
able nucleus for its permanent
gallery. 137: legislative act

authorizing construction of
building for, 138: interesting in-
cident of early history of, 138,
139; first annual report sub-
mitted, 140; located in the
Dodworth Building, 143; private
view of its pictures, 143, 144;
examples of sixteenth and seven-
teenth century carved oak lent
to, 144 n.\ fairly launched and
under favorable auspices, 147;
its gallery opened free to the

345

GENERAL INDEX

public, 148; relations of, to
students who desired to copy
pictures, 149, 130; lectures on
art in, 150; recommendations for
design of, i 5 1 ; itssite determined,
i 32 ;i.; architects of, begin work,
132, 133; outgrows its first

quarters, 1 33; Cesnola Collection
becomes property of, 136; ac-
quires standing among institu-
tions of art, 136; second home of,
i6i, 162; its heavy expenses,
162; contributors to loan ex-
hibition of, 166; subsequent loan
exhibitions, 166; Castellani Col-
lections placed on view by, 166,
167; guide to exhibition rooms of,
167-170; facts revealed by its
loan exhibitions, 170; unites with
National Academy of Design in
exhibiting private collections of
art, 171; further purchases from
General Cesnola, 171, 172; its
exchanges with other museums,
173; steps toward forming pho-
tographic department in, 173;
educational influence of, 174,
173; planning for erection of
permanent building, 173; Cal-
\'ert Vaux’s plans of, 176; again
appeals to Legislature, 178, lease
of its building, 178, 179; partner-
ship between city and, fully es-
tablished, 179, 180; a free public
institution, 180; transferring col-
lections from old to new home
of, 180; its trustees labor long
and hard, 181, 182; Joseph H.
Choate’s address at opening of
new home of, 183, 196, 198, 199,
200; incidents of the opening,
189; members of press invited
to, for private \iew, 189, 190;
some of the pictures exhibited,
192, 194; glimpse of, as it looked
when ready for opening, 194;
plans for the opening day, 194;
ceremony of opening, 194, 196;
difficulties of management, 199;
appeal for financial help, 200;
Avery collection of porcelain
bought by, 200, 201 ; Rev. C.
King’s collection of engraxed
gems acquired by, 201 : Richard
JVlorris Hunt contributes archi-

tectural casts to, 201 ; projected
exhibition of industrial art by,
201, 202; its acquisition of
series illustrating art of electro-
typing, 202; establishes and con-
ducts industrial art schools, 202,
203; buildings for technical
school gixen rent free to, 203;
schools continued in another lo-
cation by, 203, 204; aim and
scope of art schools of, 203;
lectures under auspices of, in
connection with art schools, 206;
beginnings of its library, 206-
208; appeal by trustees of, for
contributions of works of refer-
ence, 207; John Bigelow’s gift to
library of, 208; objects relating
to Washington, Lafayette, and
Franklin presented by William
H. Huntington to, 208: bequests
and gifts of importance begin to
enrich, 208 ct seq.; steps toward
formation of Egyptian collection
in, 2 12; Prof. Maspero writes to,
concerning his discovery of
Egyptian antiquities, 212, 213;
individual flavor of John Bige-
low’s correspondence with, 213;
loan exhibition of works of
George Erederick Watts, R. A.,
under auspices of, 213- 213; col-
lections of, enriched by many
valuable loans, 213; need of more
space for, 216, 217; extension
built to south of, 217; its need
for a system of departmental
organization, 217; adoption of
plan suggested by that of British
■Museum, 218, 219; amendments
to constitution of, 220; two pub-
lic meetings of intense interest
held in, 220, 22 1 ; Poe .Memorial
presented by actors of New York
to, 221 ; remarkable growth and
development of, 22 1 ; collections
of great value added to, 22 1 , 222 :
attacks upon authenticity of Ces-
nola collection of Cypriote anti-
quities in, 222 et seq.\ trustees of,
loyally support General Cesnola,
224; congratulatory letters re-
ceived by, on vindication of its
director; 223; continuous growth
of, 231; exercises at opening of

GENERAL INDEX

new building, 23 i ct seq.; the ques-
tion of Sunday opening, 236 et
seq.; resolution to open on Sun-
days reconsidered and passed by
trustees, 244; employees of, on
duty every Sunday, 244; dis-
couraging conditions only tem-
porary, 244, 245 ; laboring classes
and young people well represent-
ed on Sunday at, 245; financial
aspect of Sunday opening, 245,
246; proposal of trustees of,
to Board of Estimate and Ap-
portionment, 246; legislation for
maintenance of, 246, 247; num-
ber of Sunday visitors to, 247;
Sunday opening a phase of edu-
cational work of, 247; educa-
tional work of art schools of,
247, 248; reorganization of the
art schools, 248, 249; post-grad-
uate course for serious study of
art collections of, 249, 250; clos-
ing of all classes in the art schools,
250; cooperation with Columbia
University, 250, 251; important
changes in classes of member-
ship in, 251, 252; collection

of casts in, enlarged to practi-
cally its present size, 252, 253;
reproductions of ancient bronze
sculptures presented to, 254;
receives from Henry G. Mar-
quand his collection of paintings
by old masters, 253, 254; the
Drexel gifts to, 254, 253 ; collec-
tion of musical instruments pre-
sented by Mrs. John Crosby
Brown to, 254, 255: chosen as
recipient of Edward C. Moore
bequest, 255; illuminated man-
uscript of Saint Augustine’s De
Civitate Dei presented to library
of, 255; receixes two valuable
accessions of ceramics, 233;
comes into possession of collec-
tion of tapestries, vases, statuary,
and paintings, and fund of
§20,000, 233, 236; collection of
objects associated with laying of
Atlantic cable presented by
Cyrus W. Field to, 236; Mr.
Field’s interest in purchase of
Cesnola Collection for, 236:
influence exerted by projected

World’s Columbian Exposition
upon, 236 et seq.; opening of
North Wing of, with fitting cere-
monies, 263; policy of holding
loan exhibitions resumed, 266,
267; exhibition of the most
comprehensive and representa-
tive collection of oil paintings
and miniatures ever brought to-
gether, 267; memorial exhibition
of the works of F. E. Church, N.
A., 267; establishment of mould-
ing department for making casts
of statuary, 268; era of pros-
perity for, 268; possesses con-
fidence of community, 268; gifts
great and small offered to, 268,
269; origin of its exhibition of
arms and armor, 269, 270; other
gifts, loans, and bequests, 270,
271 ; receives its largest bequest,
271, 272; elects Finance Com-
mittee, 272; act amending char-
ter of, 272, 273; two interesting
accessions purchased by, 273:
transfer of the Bishop collection
of jade to, 273; loan exhibition of
valuable collection of modern
paintings made by William H,
\'anderbilt, 274; increases of
annual maintenance appropria-
tion for, 274, 276; construction
and occupation of East Wing of,
276; editorial comment on new
wing, 277; opening ceremonies,
277, 278; participates in move-
ment to erect memorial to
Richard Morris Hunt, 278:
loses nine of its trustees by
death, 278; Garland collection
of ancient Chinese porcelain
saved to, by J. Pierpont Morgan,
279: further losses by death,
279 et seq.; new period of activ-
ity, 289; changes in constitu-
tion of, 290; creation of new
classes of membership, 290, 292;
election of director, 292, 293;
election of assistant director,
293; organization of enlarged
staff, 294; reorganization of de-
partments recommended, 294;
educational work of, 294 et seq ;
recent exhibitions, 297-299;
special methods to facilitate

347

GENERAL INDEX

sight-seeing, 300, 301; compila-
tion of catalogues, 301; Photo-
graph Department and Infor-
mation Desk, 301, 302; changes
in rules for sketching and copy-
ing, 302; the Library, 303, 304;
sympathetic attitude of, toward
public school teachers and schol-
ars, 304 et seq.; unequal struggle
between capacity of building and
growth of collections, 308, 309;
addition of four extensions, 309,
3 10; formation of Department of
Decorative Arts, 3 lo; European
and American decorative arts
admirably represented at open-
ing of new wing, 31 1; Murch
collection of Egyptian antiqui-
ties presented by Helen Miller
Gould to, 312; collection of laces
and textiles, 312, 313; organiza-
tion of Department of Egyptian
Art, 313, 314; contemporary
American paintings in, 314; not
lacking in friends, 314, 315; large
legacies and gifts, 315, 316; loses
loyal friends and officers by
death, 316; Edward Robinson,
acting director, elected director
of, 320

Millet, Francis Davis, American
painter, appointed member of
special committee on casts for
Metropolitan Museum, 252; be-
comes trustee of Museum, 233;
endeared himself to his comrades,
319; his untimely death on the
steamship Titanic, 319

Mills, Darius Ogden, trustee of
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
3 16, 3 18; bequest of, to Museum
used as memorial fund for pur-
chase of works of art, 316; first
vice-president of Museum for
four years, 318; estimate of his
character by his fellow-trustees,
319

Monteleone di Spoleto, Umbria,
Etruscan bronze biga discovered
in tomb near, 273

Moore, Edward C., aids Metro-
politan Museum in establishing
industrial art schools, 202; be-
quest of, to Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, 255

Morgan, E. D,, one of first trustees
of Metropolitan Museum of Art,
123

Morgan, John Pierpont, American
banker and financier, begins his
princely giving to Metropolitan
Museum, 270; purchases Gar-
land collection of ancient Chinese
porcelain and continues to lend
it to Museum, 279; elected presi-
dent of Metropolitan Museum of
Art, 289; a generous donor, 289;
zealous for Museum's welfare,
289; his leadership singularly
effective, 289: chairman of Gen-
eral Committee of Hudson-
Fulton Commission, 298; offers
Georges Hoentschel collection of
objects of French decorative art
to Metropolitan Museum, 310
Morgan, Junius S., acts for John
Taylor Johnston in purchase of
Cesnola Collection, 153, 154
Morningside Park, New York,
planned by Calvert \'aux, 133
Morse, James Herbert, ode written
by, for exercises at opening of
new building of Metropolitan
Museum, 232

Morse, Samuel Finley Breese,
American artist and inventor,
picture of Congress Hall by, 6
writes to J ames FenimoreCooper,
6, 7; interesting manuscript on
American Academy of the Fine
Arts by, 29, 30; letter to DeW’itt
Clinton from, 30, 46; reconciles
petty dissensions among artists,
43: acts with tact, courtesy, and
fairness, 48, 49; chosen first
president of National Academy
of Design, 49; his glory as
scientist, 49; devotes over thirty
years of his life to art. 49; studies
in London with .Allston, 49; ad-
dresses students of National
Academy of Design, 32, 33; ex-
cerpts from letters to his parents,
53, 34; brief sjmopsis of his
lectures, 34

Mosenthal, Joseph, ode composed
by, for exercises at opening of
new building of Metropolitan
Museum, 232

Mould, Jacob \\ rev, Anglo-.\mer-

348

GENERAL INDEX

ican architect, prepares plans
adapted to site of Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 1 18 i 53
Mount, William Sidney, American
painter, enriched by commissions
and friendship of Luman Reed,
62; assists in interior decoration
of Luman Reed’s house, 64
Municipal Art Society, initiates
movement to erect memorial to
Richard Morris Hunt, 278
Murch, Dr. Chauncey, collection
of Egyptian antiquities formed
by, 312

Murray, Alexander S., Keeper of
Greek and Roman Antiquities in
British Museum, congratulatory
letter from, on vindication of
director of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 235 ; lectures in New York,
251

Murray, John R., director of Amer-
ican Academy of the Fine Arts,
10; Vanderlyn the artist writes
to, and receives reply from, 17
Museum, earliest on Manhattan
Island. Stt Tammany Museum
Museum of Art, Metropolitan.

See Metropolitan Museum of Art
Musical Fund Society, successor
to earlier Philharmonic Society,
82 n.

Myres, Prof, J. L., leading author-
ity upon art and civilization of
Cyprus, 225; Wykeham profes-
sor of ancient history at Oxford
University, 225; on the Cesnola
antiquities, 225

Naples, Museum of, bronze sculp-
tures found at Herculaneum
placed in, 253

National Academy of Design,
establishment of, 26; Dunlap
and Cummings academicians of,
27; school established by, 28;
S. F. B. Morse first president of,
29, 49; American Academy of the
Fine Arts sells casts to, 34; an
outgrowth of New York Drawing
Association, 45, 49; formally
incorporated by the State, 49;
its first exhibition, 49, 50; second
and third exhibitions, 50, 52;
schools opened by, 52; S, F. B.

Morse and William Cullen Bry-
ant address students of, 52; in-
cidents in the history of, 54; in-
vites schools to visit its exhibi-
tion, 54; needs permanent home,
55; establishes fellowship, 56;
description of its building, 56, 57:
lends its large exhibition room to
New York Gallery of the Fine
Arts, 65, 66; R. Swain Gifford
and Frederick Dielman aca-
demicians of, 73; responsibility
for permanent gallery of art in
New York laid upon. 99; unites
with Metropolitan Museum in
exhibiting private collections of
art, 171; prize students from,
enrolled in Metropolitan Mu-
seum’s advanced class, 250

National Museum, Berlin, modern
German paintings and sculpture
in, 1 19

National Sculpture Society,
movement to erect memorial to
Richard Morris Hunt joined in
by, 278

Neagle, John, member of the Phila-
delphia Academy, 52

Newbold, Catherine A., classifica-
tion prepared by, for loan collec-
tion of laces at World’s Fair,
Chicago, 312; enthusiastic
interest and untiring industry of,
312

New Museum, Berlin, collection of
casts in, 1 19

New York Academy of the Fine
Arts. See American Academy
of the Fine A rts

New York Athenaeum, first course
of lectures on fine arts in Amer-
ica delivered at, 53

New York City, permanent insti-
tutions of art in, 3, 3 5 ; contained
six predecessors of Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 6; episodes in
the history of art in, 75 et seq..
106; movement to establish gal-
lery of art in, at close of Civil
War, 99: commercial center of
a wide empire, 107, no; rapid
increase of wealth in, 133: its
privately owned works of art.
170; presentation of Egyptian
obelisk to, 220; almost forgotten

349

GENERAL INDEX

chapter of history of, 236 et seq.;
educational and art institutions
of, enriched by Samuel P. A\ ery,
281

New York Drawing Association,
National Academy of Design an
outgrowth of, 45, 49: S. F. B.
Morse explains origin of, to De
Witt Clinton, 46; its strained
relations with American Aca-
demy of the Fine Arts, 48;
becomes the National Academy
of Design, 49

New York East Conference,
Methodist Episcopal Church,
opposed to Sunday opening of
museums, 239

New York Gallery of the Eine
Arts, entire collection of, trans-
ferred to New York Historical
Society, 38, 67; inseparably con-
nected with name of Luman
Reed, 62; organization and in-
corporation of, 64; interesting
sections of its constitution, 64,
65; exhibits its collection of
paintings, 65, 66

New York Historical Library,
Athenaeum merged in, 33 n.

New York Historical Society,
bill for endowing, 7; original
agreement of American Academy
of the Fine Arts may be seen at,
8; located in same building as
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 20; records of Academy
given to, 32; valuable collections
of, 33, 38-40; plan for organiza-
tion of, 36: takes action in favor
of establishing public museum
and art gallery in Central Park,
40, 41 ; proposed site for use of,
42; article discussing prospects
of, 43; important gifts to. 43,
44; New York Gallery’s collec-
tion of pictures placed in care
of, 67: Thomas J. Bryan s gift
of his collection to, 72; Hamilton
Fish president of, 84; wishes to
use .Arsenal for permanent gal-
lery of art, 99; William J.
Hoppin urges cooperation with,
in favor of projected museum,

115

New 'York Institution, homes of

various literary and scientific
societies in, 32, 36

New York Presbytery, opposed to
Sunday opening of museums, 239

New York Public Library, art
collections in, 92; present site of,
132: liberality of Samuel P.
.Avery to, 281

Nicol, Erskine, British painter, 192

Nineveh, Layard’s discovery of, 133

Nineveh Sculptures, presented by
James Lenox to New '^’ork His-
torical Society, 39

Nollekens, Joseph, English sculp-
tor, enrolled as honorary member
of .American .Academy of the
Fine .Arts, 24

Norton, Charles Eliot, president of
.Archaeological 1 nstitute of .Amer-
ica, lecture by, 206; congratu-
latory letter from, on vindication
of director of .Metropolitan
•Museum, 223

Notre Dame, model of Cathedral of,
2 1 1

Nuttall, .Magdalena, of Tunbridge
Wells, England, presents collec-
tion of laces to .Metropolitan
.Museum, 313

Ol.msted, Frederick Law, .American
landscape gardener, appointed
on committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 1 16; one of
first executive committee of
.Metropolitan .Museum of .Art,
123; with Calvert \'aux presents
successful design for laying out
Central Park, 133

Olyphant, R. M., lends works of
art to fair in aid of United States
Sanitary Commission, 90, 91;
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New A'ork City, 116:
contributes to .Metropolitan .Mu-
seum's loan exhibition. 166

Paff. .Michael, gallery for sale of
paintings opened by, 79. 80

Paine, Prof. John .A., appointed
curator of casts in .Metropmlitan
Museum of .Art. 219

Paris, Robert R. Livingston pur-

GENERAL INDEX

chasing agent in, for American
Academy of the Fine Arts, 14
Park, Richard Henry, sculptor of
Foe Memorial, 221
Parsons, Mary, instrumental in
procuring for Museum gifts of
rare examples of lacemaker’s art,
312

Parthenon, full-sized sections of,
210; model of , 2 i I ; casts of forty
slabs of frieze of, 268
Payne, John Howard, American
dramatist, actor, and song-writer,
author of Home, Sweet Home, 84
Peabody, Judge, attends meeting to
initiate movement for the estab-
lishment of a museum of art, 104
Peale, Reuben, museum conducted
by, 76, 78

Pennsylvania Academy of Arts,
S. F. B. Morse writes to DeWitt
Clinton on, 30

Percival, James Gates, American
poet, letter written by, 6
Perkins, Charles C., congratulatory
letter from, on vindication of
director of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 225

Philharmonic Society, the earlier,
82 n.

Philosophical Society, schools of
National Academy of Design
opened in rooms of, 52
Phoenix, S. Whitney, bequeaths
curiosities, antiquities, and works
of art to Metropolitan Museum,
208

Pintard, John, first Sagamore of
Tammany Society, 3: announce-
ment by, 22, 24; originates plan
for organization of New York
Historical Society, 36; memo-
rable letter of, to DeWitt
Clinton, 36, 38

Piranesi, Giovanni Battista, Italian
etcher, 1 3, 34

Pius VI I, Pope, painted by David, 27
Poe Memorial, unveiling of, 221
Porter, General Horace, speaks at
banquet on opening of new wmg
of Metropolitan Museum, 266
Post. George B., accepts place of
consulting architect to Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 276
Potter, Henry Codman, D. D.,

Protestant Episcopal Bishop of
New York, opens Metropolitan
Museum of Art with prayer, 196;
speaks at banquet on opening of
new wing of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 266

Potter, Howard, appointed on
committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 116; one of first
trustees of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 123

Pratt, Waldo S., work for Metro-
politan Museum done by, 218 «.

Prime, William Cowper, American
journalist and author, appointed
on committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 116; on the
beginnings of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 124, 12s; con-
tributes to Museum's loan ex-
hibition, 166; offers to furnish
photographs of objects in Mu-
seum at his own expense, 173;
appointed to investigate charges
brought against Cesnola collec-
tion of Cypriote antiquities, 222:
at exercises on opening new
building of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 231; delivers the address
ot the day, 254, 236: resigns as
vice-president and trustee, 245
«., sits to Daniel Huntington for
portrait, 245 n ; speaks at ban-
quet on opening ot new wing of
Metropolitan Museum, 266

Prospect Park, Biooklyn, planned
by Calvert Vaux. 1 53

Prussia, outbreak of war between
France and, i 36

Public Library. See New York
Public Library

Putnam, George P., founder of pub-
lishing firm of G. P, Putnam &
Sons, 101; one of notable supper
party at Union League Club,
117; helpful letter from Prof.
George F. Comfort to, 1 19, 120;
hears from Rev. Dr Bellows on
need of men of taith and pre-
vision. 120, 121; one of first
executive committee ot Metro-
politan Museum ot Art, 123;
becomes its superintendent 149

GENERAL INDEX

Raeburn, Henry, Scottish painter,
enrolled as honorary member of
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 24

Rainsford, Rev. William S., acts
in favor of Sunday opening of
Museum, 244

Reed, Gideon F. T., aids Metro-
politan Museum in establishing
industrial art schools, 202; en-
dowment fund contributed by,
203; letter of, to Robert Hoe,
204

Reed, Luman, inseparably con-
nected with New York Gallery
of the Fine Arts, 62; New York’s
first patron of the arts on a large
scale, 62; painters enriched by
his commissions and his friend-
ship, 62; his home, 64: his pic-
tures purchased by subscription
after his death, 64; member of
the Sketch Club, 84

Reisinger, Hugo, promotes unique
exhibition of German paintings
and sculpture, 298

Rembrandt (Rembrandt Herman-
zoon van Rijn), Dutch painter
and etcher, portrait by, 44; loan
exhibition of pictures by, in
connection with Hudson-Fulton
Celebration, 298

Renwick, James, report on plans of
Metropolitan Museum signed by,
176

Rhinelander, Frederick \\ ., mem-
ber of special committee on casts
for Metropolitan Museum, 252:
at ceremonies on opening of
East Wing of Museum, 277, 278;
death of, 280; estimate of his
services, 281

Rimmer, Dr. William, given sole
charge of Cooper Union School
of Design for Women, 72, 73; his
remarkable knowledge of anat-
omy, 73; unique methods of, 73;
his works, 73

Riverside Park, New York, plan-
ned by Calvert Vaux, 153

Robb, J. Hampden, at exercises on
opening new building of Metro-
politan Museum, 23 1

Robbia, Luca della, cast of altar-
piece by, made in moulding de-

partment of Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 268

Roberts, Marshall O., lends works
of art to fair in aid of United
States Sanitary Commission, 90,
91 ; vice-president of meeting to
initiate movement for the estab-
lishment of a museum of art, 104;
sends letter of good wishes, 113;
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 1 16
Robinson, Edward, Curator, Bos-
ton Museum of Fine Arts, ap-
pointed purchasing agent for
Metropolitan Museum, 232; elec-
ted assistant director of Museum,
293; sketch of his career, 293,
294; member of Sub-committee
on Art Exhibits of Hudson-Ful-
ton Commission, 298; conducts
affairs of Museum during illness
of Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke,
320; elected director of Metro-
politan Museum of Art, 320
Rogers, John, upholds authenticity
of statues in Cesnola collection
of Cypriote antiquities, 224
Rogers, Samuel, English poet,
anecdote of, related by William
Cullen Bryant, 1 12
Rome, famous Campana collection
of marbles at, 109, 113; Ameri-
can artists residing in, 109;
marbles from old ciN’ilization of,
232

Rood, Prof. O. M., appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 16

Roosevelt, Theodore (1831-1878),
acts on sub-committee on mu-
seum construction, i 3 i
Rotunda, New York Gallery of
the Fine Arts petitions corpor-
ation for use of, 66; petition
granted, 66, 67, 83; exhibition of
pictures in, 67; erected and used
by John \'anderlyn for his pano-
ramas, 80 et seq.; fitted up for
Court of Sessions and used later
for Marine Court, 83; Naturali-
zation Office located in. 83: used
temporarily for post-office after
great fire, 83: removal of, 84

352

GENERAL INDEX

Rousseau, Theodore, French paint-
er, 91

Royal Academy, English, furnishes
model for American Academy of
the Fine Arts, 8; Trumbull well
acquainted with workings of, 14
Ruskin, John, English art critic and
writer, 60

Ruysdael, Salomon and Jacob,
Dutch painters, 90

Sage, Mrs. Russell, gives entire
Bolles collection of American
furniture and decorative arts to
Metropolitan Museum, 31 1
Saint-Gaudens, Augustus, Ameri-
can sculptor, acquires early
education in Cooper Union night
art classes, 71; member of spec-
ial committee on casts for Metro-
politan Museum, 252; memorial
exhibition of works of, 297
Saint-Gaudens, Mrs. Augustus,
assists in arranging memorial
exhibition of her husband’s
works, 297

Saint-Gaudens, Homer, assists in
arranging memorial exhibition
of works of Augustus Saint-
Gaudens, 297

Salvation Army, training school
and national headquarters of,
162

Sands, R. G., member of the Sketch
Club, 84

Sanitary Commission. See United
States Sanitary Commission
Sarto, Andrea del, Italian painter,
90, 166

Satterlee, Right Rev. Henry Y.,
Bishop of Washington, i-j-]
Saxony, museum of fine arts in, 108
Scheffer, Ary, Erench painter, 112
School of Design for Women.

See under Cooper Union
School of Mines, Columbia Uni-
versity, 201

Scudder, John, part of contents of
Tammany Museum passes into
possession of, 6; American
Museum of, 20, 75, 76
Sedelmeyer, Charles, lends collec-
tion of Dutch and Flemish Old
Masters to Metropolitan Mu-
seum, 216

Seligman, Henrietta, bequeaths
collection of rare seventeenth
and eighteenth century lace to
Metropolitan Museum, 313

Seney, George 1., oil paintings
presented to Metropolitan Mu-
seum by, 22 1 , 222

Seymour Haden, Francis, etchings
by, presented to Metropolitan
Museum by William Loring
Andrews, 221

Shaw, Charles B., lecturer in schools
of National Academy of Design,
52

Shee, Martin, president of the
Royal Academy, 24

Shipman, Hon. Nathaniel, pre-
siding judge in libel suit brought
against General Cesnola, 224

Sketch Club, personnel of, 84;
C. C. Ingham its first president,
84; purposes of its formation,
84, 85; amusing discussions of,

85

Sloane, Prof. William Milligan,
speaks at banquet on opening
of new wing of Metropolitan
Museum, 266

Smibert, John, Scotch painter, ex-
hibition of Amv.rican colonial
portraits by, 299

Smith, Charles Stewart, presents
collection of Japanese pottery
and porcelain to Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 255; serves
efficiently on Building Commit-
tee of Museum, 318; promotes
helpful relationship between New
York City and Metropolitan
Museum, 3 18

Smithsonian Institution, George
Brown Goode assistant secretary
of, 7

Society of American Artists.
See A merican A rtists

Society of Colonial Dames, early
ecclesiastical silver and domestic
plate lent to Metropolitan Mu-
seum by, 299

South Kensington Museum, Lon-
don, loan collection of works of
art in, 113, 114; influence of,
upon Metropolitan Museum of
Art, 134: Sir Caspar Purdon
Clarke director of, 292, 293

353

GENERAL INDEX

Spain, museum of fine arts in capital
of, io8

Stanford, Leland, Go\ernor of
California, Cypriote antiquities
sold to, 2 12

Stanley, Arthur Penrhyn, Dean of
Westminster Abbey, England,
256

Stanley, Lady Augusta, introduc-
tion of General Cesnola to, by
Cyrus W. Field, 256

Stebbins, Henry G., vice-president
of meeting to initiate movement
for the establishment of a mu-
seum of art, 104; proffers sym-
pathy of Central Park Commis-
sion with object of meeting, i 14;
appointed on committee to
promote establishment of mu-
seum of art in New York City,

1 16: made president of the
committee, 118, 119; one of
first trustees of Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 123

Stewart, Alexander Turney, Amer-
ican merchant and capitalist,
appointed on committee to pro-
mote establishment of museum
of art in New York City, 1 16;
his gift to Metropolitan Museum
of Art, 133

Si EWART, D. Jackson, appointed on
committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 1 16

Stickney, Albert, counsel for Gen-
eral Cesnola in libel suit brought
against him, 224

Stimson, John Ward, director of art
schools of Metropolitan Museum,
203

Stokes, Anson Phelps, appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 16

Story, George H., Curator of
Paintings, work of exhibitions
de\olves largely upon. 267, 268;
asks to be relieved from his
duties, 268; honored with posi-
tion of Curator Emeritus, 268;
vacant directorship of Metro-
politan Museum temporarily
filled by, 290

Stuart, Gilbert, American painter.

full-length portrait of Washing-
ton by, 5, 6

Stuart, Robert L., art collection of,
in New York Public Library,
92; appointed on committee
to promote establishment of
museum of art in New York
City, 1 16; contributes to Metro-
politan Museum’s loan exhibi-
tion, 166

S r u R c E s, Jonathan, agreement
transferring art collection signed
by, 38, 39; collector of American
paintings, 64; president of New
York Gallery of the Fine Arts,
64; furnishes financial backing
to the Gallery, 67: lends works
of art to fair in aid of United
States Sanitary Commission, 90,
91: appointed on committee to
promote establishment of mu-
seum of art in New York City,
117

Sturges, Mrs. Jonathan, ser\es on
Committee of Fine .Arts of
•Metropolitan Fair, 91

Sturgis, Russell, emphasizes valu-
able opportunities for acquiring
art collections, 113, 114; ap-

pointed on committee to promote
establishment of museum of art
in New York City, 117; first
corresponding secretary of .Met-
ropolitan -Museum of .Art, 123;
chairman of Loan Exhibition
Committee, 13 i; lecture by, on
Ceramic .Art, 150; report on
plans of .Metropolitan -\luseum
signed by, 176; lectures in New
York under auspices of .Metro-
politan .Museum and Columbia
University. 231

Stuyvesant, Rutherfurd, appointed
on committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 117; advises
purchase of Talleyrand-Perigord
collection of arms and armor by
.Metropolitan .Museum, 270, 318;
last but one of the founders of
the .Museum, 316; direct de-
scendant of Governor Peter Stuy-
vesant, 316; his interest in, and
attachment to, .Museum for
nearly forty years, 316

354

GENERAL INDEX

Stuyvesant Institute, Egyptian
antiquities exhibited in, 39
Sweeny, Peter B., lawyer and poli-
tician, in power at Albany, 139;
favors act authorizing construc-
tion of building for Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 139

Talleyrand-Perigord, Maurice
de. Due de Dino, collection of
arms and armor purchased by
Metropolitan Museum from, 270
I'ammany, Saint, museum estab-
lished by followers of, 3, 4
Tammany Museum, earliest re-
corded on Manhattan Island, 3;
thrown open to the public, 4;
outgrows its quarters and finds
new home, 4; transferred to
Gardiner Baker, who adds to its
attractions, 5, 6; sold to W. J.
W aldron, 6; part of its contents
pass to John Scudder and later
to P. T. Barnum, 6
Tammany Society, or Columbian
Order, earliest recorded museum
on Manhattan Island conducted
by, 3, 4; interest in art wanes
among members of, 5
Teniers, David, Flemish painter, 90
Thompson, Rev. Dr. Joseph P.,
attends meeting to initiate move-
ment for the establishment of
a museum of art in New York
City, 104; sees in the grandeur
of the project an element of
success, 114; one of notable
supper party at Union League
Club, 1 17

Thompson, Launt, upholds authen-
ticity of statues in Cesnola col-
lection of Cypriote antiquities,
224

Thumb, General Tom, Jr., on ex-
hibition at Barnum’s, 78
Tiffany & Co., Messrs., offer
Metropolitan Museum free use
of second story of building for
exhibition, 132; get exclusive
right to manufacture reproduc-
tions of works of art in Museum,
■73

liFFANY, Louis C., member of
special committee on casts for
Metropolitan Museum, 232

Tintoretto (Jacopo Robusti), \'en-
etian painter, 166

T iTANic, White Star Line steamship,
loss of, 319

Titian (Tiziano \'ecelli), \ enetian
painter, 166

Tonks, Prof. Oliver S., of Vassar
College, lectures to high school
teachers at Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, 308

Troyon, Constant, French painter,
91, 190

Trumbull, John, vice-president of
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 10; the only artist men-
tioned in Academy's charter, 13;
mo\ ing force in the undertaking,
13, 14!!.'; of a distinguished
family, 14; receives much gov-
ernment patronage, 14, his four
historical pictures for rotunda of
Capitol at Washington, 14; his
last years, 14; Durand’s analysis
of his character, 14: succeeds
DeWitt Clinton as president of
American Academy of the Fine
Arts, 21 ; several works by, pur-
chased for Academy, 27: hos-
tility of Dunlap and Cummings
to, 27; his opposition to the
opening of schools, 28; Durand
on his connection with American
Academy of the Fine Arts, 30,
32; initial impetus to progress
of art in New York City given
by, 34; asks members of Draw-
ing Association to sign matricu-
lation book of American Acad-
emy, 46; shows feeling of
wounded dignity and injured
pride, 49; represented by por-
trait of a lady at first exhibition
of National Academy of Design,
50

Tuckerman, Arthur L., work of,
for Metropolitan Museum of
Art, 217; death of, 248, 265 ; his
untiring devotion to interests of
Museum acknowledged in reso-
lution by trustees, 265

Tuckerman, Henry T., citations
from Book of the Artists by,
6 n\ 92

Tuckerman, Lucius, appointed on
committee to promote estab-

355

GENERAL INDEX

lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 117; one of
first executive committee of
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
123

Turner, Joseph Mallord William,
English painter, 60

Tweed, William Marcy, political
“boss,” in power at Albany,
139; favors act authorizing
construction of building for Met-
ropolitan Museum of Art, 139

Ulrich, Charles F., prize painting
by, presented to Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 216

Union League Club, membership
of, ardent and active supporters
of United States Sanitary Com-
mission, 90, 91; memorial to,
on foundation of national gallery
of art, 100, 101 : John Jay elected
president of, loi; work of Art
Committee of, 103; notable sup-
per at, 1 1 7

United States, first society for
encouragement of fine arts in,
7; George Washington becomes
first President of, 13; cession of
Louisiana to, 13

United States National Museum,
George Brown Goode’s connec-
tion with, 7

United States Sanitary Com-
mission, fair in aid of, 90, 91

Upjohn, Richard, attends meeting
to initiate movement for the
establishment of a museum of
art, 104

Van Alen, J. H,, contributes to
loan exhibition of Metropolitan
Museum of Art, 166

VtNDERBiLT, Comelius, .American
financier, drawings donated to
Metropolitan Museum of .Art by,
221; member of Board of
Trustees of Metropolitan .Mu-
seum, 278; chairman of Exe-
cutive Committee of .Museum,
278; his constant unwearying
interest in affairs of Museum, 278

Vanderbilt, George W., contri-
butes to loan exhibition of
Metropolitan Museum of .Art,

192, 194; lends to .Metropolitan
Museum valuable collection of
modern paintings, 274
Vanderbilt, William H., American
financier, contributes to loan
exhibition of Metropolitan Mu-
seum of .Art, 192; valuable col-
lection of modern paintings
brought together by, 274
Vanderlip, George M., appointed
on committee to promote estab-
lishment of museum of art in
New York City, 1 17
V'anderlyn, John, .American artist,
aided by Aaron Burr, 16; agree-
ment betw'een American Acad-
emy of the Fine .Arts and, 16, 17:
does not live up to terms of the
contract, 17; sends some casts
by brig Success, 17; copies of
four paintings received from, 17,
18; first .American artist to pre-
sent a mythological subject
successfully, 24: building erected
by, for his panoramas, 66, 80
ct scq.

Van D y c k, Anthony. Flemish
painter, portrait by, 44
Van Dyke, Prof. John C., lectures
in New' York under auspices of
Metropolitan .Museum and Col-
umbia Universit}', 251
\'an Leyden, Lucas. See Lucas van
Leyden

N'a'rick, Richard, petitions Corpora-
tion of New' York in behalf of
John X'anderlyn, 83
\'atican, art collection rivaling that
of, 135

\ Aux, Calvert, .Anglo-.American
landscape architect, appointed
on committee to promote es-
tablishment of museum of art
in New York City, 117; one of
notable supper part)' at Union
League Club, 117; prepares
plans adapted to site of .Metro-
politan .Museum of .Art, iiSn.;
architects of .Museum confer
with, 152, 153; distinguished as
a landscape architect, 153; with
Frederick Law Olmsted presents
successful design for laying out
Central Park, 153; plans Pros-
pect, Riverside, and .Morningside

356

GENERAL INDEX

Parks, 153; works on plans and
specifications of Metropolitan
Museum, 175, 176
Vela, Vincenzo, Italian sculptor,
marble Napoleon by, 146 n.
Venus of Melos, cast of, made in
moulding department of Metro-
politan Museum, 268
Venus, temple of, in Cyprus, 154
Vermeer, Johannes, Dutch painter,
loan exhibition of pictures by, in
connection with Hudson-Fulton
Celebration, 298

Verplanck, Gulian Crommelin,
American lawyer and author,
member of the Sketch Club, 84
Vespasian, temple of, 210
Victoria and Albert Museum.

See South Kensington Museum
Villard, Henry, bequest of, to
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
270, 27 1

Villegas, Pedro de, Spanish painter,
192

Vinci, Leonardo da, Italian painter,
166

Vinton, General F. L., appointed
on committee to promote es-
tablishment of museum of art
in New York City, 117
, Von Bremen, Meyer, painting by,
192

Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford,
Lawrence’s portrait of Benjamin
West passes to, 34
Wait, Frederick S., treasurer of
committee to arrange memorial
exhibition of works of Augustus
Saint-Gaudens, 297
Waldron, W. J., Tammany Mu-
seum sold to, 6

Wales, Salem H., trustee of Metro-
politan Museum, 280; park com-
missioner and president of De-
partment of Parks, 280; chair-
man of Building Committee of
Metropolitan Museum, 280
Ward, John Quincy Adams, Am-
erican sculptor, 101; one of
first executive committee of
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
123; appointed to investigate
charges brought against Cesnola
collection of Cypriote antiqui-

ties, 222; member of special
committee on casts for Metro-
politan Museum, 232
Ward, Samuel Gray, painting by
Cole for, 60; appointed on com-
mittee to promote establishment
of museum of art in New York
City, 117; first treasurer of Me-
tropolitan Museum of Art, 123
Ward, Dr. William Hayes, Ameri-
can archaeologist and journalist,
Babylonian and Assyrian cyl-
inders, seals, etc., purchased by
Metropolitan Museum from, 222;
lectures in New York under
auspices of Metropolitan Mu-
seum and Columbia University,
251

Ware, Prof. William R., on standing
of Metropolitan Museum’s class
of advanced students, 250; mem-
ber of special committee on
casts for Museum, 252
Warner, Andrew, agreement trans-
ferring art collection signed by,
, 38, 39

Warner, Charles Dudley, American
author, speaks at banquet on
opening of new wing of Metro-
politan Museum, 266: writes
introduction to catalogue of
memorial exhibition of works of
F. E. Church, N. A., 267
Washington, George, first Presi-
dent of the United States, full-
length portrait of, by Stuart, 5,
6; oath of office as President
administered to, by Chancellor
Livingston, 13; bust of, by
Houdon, 79; colossal statue of,
by J. Q. A. Ward, loi; objects
connected with, presentee! to
Metropolitan Museum, 208
Watts, George Frederick, English
painter and sculptor, loan exhi-
bition of works of, 213-215
Weir, Prof. John F., speaks at
banquet on opening of new wing
of Metropolitan Museum, 266
Wenman, James F., at exercises on
opening of Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, 196

West, Benjamin, American-English
painter, Robert Fulton a pupil
of, 8; Quaker boy who became

357

GENERAL INDEX

president of Royal Academy, 13;
Lawrence’s full-length portrait
of, 27, 34; exhibition in New
York, of facsimile of great picture
by, 78

Weston, Theodore, appointed on
committee to promote establish-
ment of museum of art in New
York City, 1 17; made secretary
of the committee, 118, 119; first
recording secretary of Metropoli-
tan Museum of Art, 123; ap-
pointed architect to the Museum,
217; architect of South Wing of
Metropolitan Museum, 263

Whistler, James Abbott McNeill,
American painter and etcher,
166; etchings by, presented to
Metropolitan Museum by Wil-
liam Coring Andrews, 221; ex-
hibition of pictures in oil and
pastel by, 299

White, Andrew Dickson, American
educator and historian, congratu-
latory letter from, on vindication
of Metropolitan Museum’s di-
rector, 225

White, Richard Grant, essayist and
Shakesperian scholar, on the
Bryan collection of paintings, 44,
45; attends meeting to initiate
movement for the establishment
of a museum of art in New York
City, 104

White, Stanford, American archi-
tect, appointed member of spec-
ial committee on casts for Met-
ropolitan Museum, 252

Whittredge, Worthington, serves
on Committee of Fine Arts of
Metropolitan Fair, 91 ; a painter

of landscapes, 10 1; one of not-
able supper party at Union
League Club, 1 17

Wight, P. B., architect of National
Academy of Design’s building,
56; one of notable supper party
at the Union League Club, 1 17
Wilkes, Charles, director of Ameri-
can Academy of the Fine Arts, 10
Willard, Levi Hale, bequest of, to
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
208 etseq.; interesting light upon
character and motives of, 209,
210; his bequest accepted and
its terms faithfully carried out,

210

WiLLCox, William R., at ceremonies
on opening of East Wing of
Metropolitan Museum, 277
Wilson, Rufus Rockwell, 4 n.^
WiNSTANLEY, William, English art-
ist, 80

Winter, William, American jour-
nalist and poet, reads poem at
unveiling of Poe Memorial, 221
Wolf, Joseph, succeeds Arthur L,
Tuckerman as architect to Met-
ropolitan Museum, 263
Wolfe, Catharine Lorillard, bene-
factress of Metropolitan Mu-
seum of Art, 133, 21 1, 212
Wolfe, John David, portrait of,

2 1 1

Yale College (later University),
Trumbull the artist accepts
annuity from, 14

Yale School of the Fine Arts,
examples of sixteenth and seven-
teenth century car\ed oak
become property of, 144 n.

358

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

Albion, The, 144

American Academy of the Fine
Arts, Charter and By-Laws of,
10 M., 25, 26; Report of Commit-
tee of, 20 ii.L Records of, 25
Minutes, 28, 29; Keeper’s Book,
57 »i.

American Art Union, Bulletin of,
58, 60

American Scenic and Historic
Preservation Society, i6th
.Annual Report, 8 ir®, 42 n}

Andrews, \\ illiam Coring, Bulletin
of the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, 14371., 16277,; Letter, 207,
208

Art Amateur, The, 222

Axson, Prof. Stockton, Museums
and Teachers of English, 308

Beaux-Arts, Gazette des, 13777.

Bellows, Henry U'., D. D., Address,
1 14, 1 1 5; Letter to George P.
Putnam, 120, 121

Bigelow, John, Letters, 213

Blodgett, William Tilden, Letter,
136

Bloor, Alfred J., Address, etc., 10677.

Booth, Mary L., History of the
City of New York, 89, go n.

Boston Museum of Fine Arts,
Annual Reports, 173

Bristed, Charles Astor, “That
Punch!” (poem), 12477.

Broadside Issued June i, 1791,
4 77. ', L A 6 n}

Bryant, William Cullen, Address,
106 et seq.

Calverley, Charles, Letter, 224

Cesnola, General Louis Palma di.

Letters, 154, 155, 172: Memor-
andum of \\'ork, 181
Choate, Joseph Hodges, Address at
Opening of Metropolitan Mu-
seumofArt, 183, 196, 198, 199,200
Clinton, DeM'itt, Address, 877.*,

21, 22 77,

Cole, C. C., Address, 1 14
Columbian, The, 22, 23
Colvin, Sidney, Letter, 15677.
Comfort, George Fiske, Art Mu-
seums of America (published in
Old and New), 112,113: Letter
to George P. Putnam, 119, 120
Concise Description of the City
ofNew York, 76

Cooper Union for the Advance-
ment of Science and Ari,
Trust Deed, 70, 73, 74; Charter,
70, 71: I St Annual Report, 71;
5th Annual Report, 71, 72
Corcoran Gallery of Art, Wash-
ington, D. C., Catalogue, 14677.;
Series of Photographs, 173
Cosmopolitan Art Journal, 8877.
Cox, Kenyon, Museums and Teach-
ers of Art, 308

Crystal Palace Fxhibition, New
York, Official Catalogue, go
Cummings, Thomas Seir, Historic
Annals of the National Academy
of Design, 22 77. , 46 n., 49 77 ,
50 77., 52 77., 54 77., 56 77., 61 77.
Curtis, George William, Letter, 225

Daily Advertiser, New \'ork, 3 77.*
4 77.^

Decamps, Louis, Un Musee Trans-
atlantique, in Gazette des Beaux-
Arts, 137 77.

359

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

De Peyster, Frederic, Biographical
Sketch of Chancellor Livingston,
24 n}

Directory and Register, New
York, 3 n}

Dunlap, William, History of the
Arts of Design in the United
States, 16 n., 20 n?, 28 n.
Durand, John, Life and Times of
A. B. Durand, 8 h.L 61, 62 n.,
64 w., 84 86 i;.; John

Trumbull, 14 «L, 30 w., 32: Pre-
historic Notes of the Century
Club, 85 n.

Egleston, Prof. Thomas, Letter,
201 , 202

Ellin, Robert, Letter, 224
Evening Mail, The, New York,
106, 117, 1 18, 134, 135 «.
Evening Post, The, New York, 26,
27, 78 w.LL 99, 18311., 18911.,
19011., 19211., 194 «., 196)!.,

277, 282, 283 n.

Fagan, Louis, Wood-engraving and
Etching, 25 I

Francis, Dr. J. W'., Old New York,
4 H.^, Handbook of New York,
75 «■

French, Daniel Chester, Letter, 224

Galaxy, Ihe, 144
Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 137 n.
Godkin, Edwin Lawrence, Letter,
223

Godwin, Parke, Letter, 170
Golden Age, The, 144
Goode, George Brown, .Memorial
of, 7 n.

Goodrich, A. T., Picture of New
York and Stranger's Guide, etc.,
79

Griswold, Isaac J., The Circus —
its Origin and Growth prior to
1835, 18 n}, 80 n.

Hall, G. Stanley, Museums and
Teachers of History, 308
Hearth and Home, The, 144
Herald, The, New York, 266 nr
Herring, James (with James B.
Longacre), National Portrait
Gallery of Distinguished .Ameri-
cans, 37

Hitchcock, Hiram, General di
Cesnola’s Discoveries in Cyprus,
130

Home Journal, The, New York,
■33. '.44

Hunt, Richard Morris, Address, 1 13

IsHAM, Samuel, History of American
Painting, 18 m.'

Jarves, James Jackson, Letter, 223

Jay, John, Letter to General Ces-
nola, 100

Jenkins, Stephen, The Greatest
Street in the World, 20 n.*

Johnston, John Taylor, Letters,
137, 144 et seq., 172

Keep, Austin B., History of the
New York Society Library, 38 n}

Kelby, R. H., New York Historical
Society, 1804-1904, 18 11.’, 20 nr,
36 ii.LL 38 40 II. , 41 II. , 42 nr

Lamb, .Mrs. (.Martha Joanna Reade
Nash), History of the City of
New York, 33 n.

Le Brun, Pierre, Report, 209, 210

Liberal Christian, The, 144

Longacre. James B. See Herrimi,
James

Maspero, Prof. Gaston, Letter, 212,
213

Metropolitan .Art Museum in
THE City of New \'ork, 101 n..
102 II.

Metropolitan Fair Picture Gal-
lery, Catalogues, 91

.Metropolitan Museum of .Art,
Act of Incorporation, 123; Con-
stitution, 123 et seq., 220; Cata-
logues, 148, 167, 168, 169, 17 1,
173, 21 1 II., 213, 233 II., 299;
Reports, 149, 161, 163, 173, 174,
176, 182, 202, 206, 207,209,210,
2 1 1 II., 2 1 3, 223, 232 II., 243, 270,
293, 303, 303; Charter, Consti-
tution, By-Laws, Lease, Laws,
150 II., 17811., 217 II., 220 II.,
231 II., 24611.’, 247 II, 276 I!.,
309 II.; Guide-books, 167-170,

1 73; Series of Etchings and Pho-
tographs, 173; Correspondence
and .Minutes, 183, 213: Circular,
200; Prospectus of .Art Schools,

360

INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

205; Bulletin, 274 295, 296 w.,

297 n., 300, 310 n., Handbooks,
301

Morse, Samuel Finley Breese, Re-
marks, etc. (MS.), 29, 30; Letter
to DeWitt Clinton, 30, 46, 48
Murray, Alexander S., Letter, 225;

Ancient Greek Art, 251
Myres, Prof. J. L., Letter, 225

Nation, The, New York, 225
National Academy of Design,
Catalogue, 171

New York Gallery of the Fine
Arts, Constitution, 64, 65;

Catalogue, 66

Norton, Charles Eliot, Lecture on
Explorations at Ruins of Assos,
206; Letter, 225

Park Commissioners, New York,
Resolution on Site of Metropoli-
tan Museum of Art, 1 52 n.
Pennsylvania Academy of the
Fine Arts, Annual Reports, 173
Perkins, Charles C., Letter, 225
Pratt, Waldo S., Letter, 218 «.
Prime, William C., Letters, 164, 225
Putnam, George P., Report to
Trustees, Metropolitan Museum
of Art, 149

Putnam’s Magazine, 154/1.

Reed, Gideon F. T., Letter, 204
Rogers, John, Letter, 224

Sartain, John, Reminiscences of a
Very Old Man, 33 n.

Shee, Martin, Letter of Acceptance,
24

Stebbins, Henry G., Address, 114
Sturgis, Russell, Address, 113, 114;
Ceramic Art, 150; Letter, 180 h.

Talisman, The, 84
Thompson, Rev. Dr. Joseph P.,
Address, 1 14

Thompson, Launt, Letter, 224
Tiffany & Co., Messrs,, Letter, 132
Times, The, New York, 103, 104,
266 n}

Todd, Charles Burr, In Olde New
York, 79 n}

Tonks, Prof. Oliver S., Museums
and Teachers of the Classics,
308

Tribune, The, New York, 67, 223
Tuckerman, Henry T., Book of the
Artists, 6 11.', 13 «., 45 n., 92 n.

Valentine’s Manual, 1862, 4 m.*
Vaux, Calvert, Plans and Specifi-
cations, Metropolitan Museum
of Art, 175 176, 178
Vedder, Elihu, Digressions, 87, 88

Watts, George Frederick, R. A.,
Letter, 214, 215

VV'hite, Andrew Dickson, Letter,
225

White, Richard Grant, Companion
to Bryan Gallery of Christian
Art, 44 n.

Willard, Levi Hale, Will, 208;

Posthumous Letter, 209
Wilson, Rufus Rockwell, New York
Old and New, 4 n.^

Wolfe, Catharine Lorillard, Will,
211, 212

World, The, New York, 189 h.,
192 «., 244

361

OF THIS BOOK ONE THOUSAND COPIES WERE
PRINTED AT THE GILLISS PRESS
IN FEBRUARY 1913

708.1

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